Truly a family legacy, the roots of Jax Cafe run deep, beginning in 1910 when great-grandfather Stanley Kozlak built the business on the corner of 20th and University Avenue. The building housed his furniture, hardware, and funeral services as well as the local dance hall. When prohibition ended in 1933, a liquor license was obtained and Jax Bar and Cafe was born- in the very part of the building the main bar lives today

In 1943 grandparents Joseph and Gertrude purchased the cafe with a 56 seating capacity and a staff of four. What they lacked in size they made up for in standards, working hard to establish warm hospitality with a focus on great food. Grandma even lent her hand in the kitchen, developing a salad dressing still found on the menu today. The work proved fruitful, and in just ten short years Jax Cafe expanded to occupy the entire main floor of the present building.