In 1976, Jimmy Anselmo purchased Al Pellegrini’s Pool Hall, Bar, & Restaurant at 8200 Willow Street. Two years later, in 1978, he opened the doors to Jimmy’s Music Club. The opening act was Little Queenie & the Percolators, kicking off an era that would cement the club’s place in music history. 

As the 1980’s dawned, Jimmy’s evolved, becoming the undisputed “headquarters to the New Orleans punk scene”. Like so much of New Orleans, the music at Jimmy’s fell silent in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The club closed its doors, marking the end of an era. For the next two decades, the building at 8200 Willow Street entered a long intermission. While Jimmy Anselmo still owned the property, he leased it to other operators, and the space became known first as The Frat House and later as The Willow.

In 2025, the intermission ended. A new ownership group, led by Christopher Jones—a man with his own history in the building, having worked the door during its Frat House days—took the helm. With Jimmy Anselmo’s full support, the passing of the torch was complete. The legend was reborn, ready to bring the authentic sound and soul of New Orleans music back to Willow Street for a new generation.