For more than two decades, Tave Baker has dreamed about continuing his family’s longtime legacy of growing local businesses in the Jonesboro community. His dream became a reality late last year when he opened the doors of The Cotton Club in Downtown Jonesboro, an eatery that strives to offer elevated Southern fare, local music and specialty cocktails to its patrons.

Baker’s family has lived in Jonesboro since 1830, many of whom have had businesses on Main Street over the years. A graduate of Jonesboro High School and Arkansas State University, while he was still in school, Baker took over Holmes Tile and Marble Company from his grandparents, Jim and Martha Holmes. The couple started the company in 1952, and Baker was proud to continue the family business. 

“During that time period, when Downtown Jonesboro was first beginning to be redeveloped, as a young man, I was involved to some degree with many of these projects,” said Baker. “I almost purchased a building on Main Street at that time. I did not and have always regretted it and still wanted to buy a building on Main Street someday, so when the opportunity came along that 201 S. Main Street became available, I jumped on it the very next day and began the process of acquiring this property.

“I had thought about various downtown businesses I’d like to put in. With this, I felt like Downtown Jonesboro and Jonesboro in general needed another fine dining establishment and craft cocktail bar, as well as a music venue. I’ve always been very involved in music and have been looking forward to having that side of the business, as well, bringing good music to Jonesboro.”

The building received a significant facelift. Baker says they rehabbed it from top to bottom, painted, sanded and finished the floors, completely remodeled the bathrooms and added all new interior finishes and décor. 

Baker himself is new to the restaurant business but is well-traveled and loves to cook, which has shaped his new Downtown Jonesboro restaurant, The Cotton Club.  

“We’ve built the menu based upon favorite dishes from not only the Delta, but from across the country, and are putting it into action with a great team and staff,” he said. “The Cotton Club is a prime steakhouse with an additional emphasis on elevated Southern fare and craft cocktails. Our spirit selection is second to none.”

The name was something Baker took great care with, wanting it to honor both the agriculture and the music of the area.   

“The name is twofold,” said Baker. “The first part is in homage to our agricultural region and our farmers. In Northeast Arkansas, we are in the land of rice and cotton. The second reason for the name is related to music. There were two notable clubs in the 1950s that shared that name and were important to the growth of the music that came out of the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta, one in Trumann, Arkansas, and the other in Lubbock, Texas. In Trumann, all of the early pioneers of rockabilly and rock and roll including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Conway Twitty, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Narvel Felts, Sonny Burgess and Bobby Lee Trammell performed as they were traveling Eastern Arkansas during those early days of the new musical movement. I believe some of our local musicians who are still around such as Bill Little & Scott Snellgrove even played there as young men in the 1960s. 

The Club in Lubbock, Elvis performed at eight times in 1955 – it was there that Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Roy Orbison and Mac Davis all saw him for the first time. That touch changed music history in every genre of music moving forward forever. So, the name is in homage to not only our agricultural region, but to the music that is from our region, as well.”

Baker wanted to reflect that style and feel with The Cotton Club’s food as well.

“From my travels and thinking about the type of restaurant I would want to create personally, a nice traditional steakhouse with a collection of elevated Southern fare is what I would like,” said Baker. “We cultivated the menu to reflect that preference and the taste and heritage of our region while also adding specials to always keep the menu exciting. We would like to rotate through menu items as we go to always keep it exciting and fresh.”

From the introductory menu, Fried Green Tomatoes, Hot Pimento Cheese Dip and Toast Points, Shrimp Cocktail and Southern Deviled Eggs are some of the most popular items since The Cotton Club opened this past September. The restaurant is serving up top quality hamburgers, as well as placing an emphasis on being Jonesboro’s newest steakhouse with prime steaks and chops. Soups, salads, pasta and fish are also on the menu. Steaks are available to “crown” with chimichurri, cowboy butter, black peppercorn or a bearnaise sauce. 

Baker says the menu’s Shrimp and Grits have been one of The Cotton Club’s most popular dishes, with house-made grits topped with shrimp and house-made roux. The BBQ Shrimp offers New Orleans-style traditional BBQ shrimp, and the Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta has a Southern take, as well.

The Cotton Club offers Saturday and Sunday morning brunch with traditional menu items like pancakes and biscuits and gravy, along with some more unique items like Millionaire’s Bacon, a dish of candied bacon coated with pepper. The Shrimp and Grits also makes an appearance on the brunch menu, as does a Breakfast Burger, an angus patty topped with an over easy egg and cheddar cheese that is served with hash browns.

“Our cocktails are really special,” said Baker. “I’ve heard customers say our Old Fashioned is the best in Arkansas. It’s a very extensive cocktail and spirit list, as well as a wine list. All of our specialty cocktails are crafted with precision and accuracy.”

The Cotton Club will host a grand opening in early 2026. For more information about the establishment, which is located in Downtown Jonesboro at 201 S. Main St., find The Cotton Club – Jonesboro, AR on Facebook. Hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 4-10 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to late, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to late.