For Jud Blount, hospitality is deeply rooted in home. A Montgomery native whose family has called the city home for generations, Blount began his restaurant career in 1997 when he helped launch Derk’s Filet and Vine. After eventually selling his share of the business, he took over the historic Vintage Year and reopened it in 2015 following an extensive remodel, marking the beginning of what would become Vintage Hospitality Group. Today, Blount leads a growing collection of distinctive hospitality concepts while continuing to build on his passion for restaurants, memorable guest experiences and Montgomery itself. Through adaptive reuse, job creation and investments in historic and underutilized properties, his work reflects a belief that hospitality can play a meaningful role in strengthening the community and shaping the city’s future.
How has your experience in restaurant management shaped the way you approach the development and renovation of commercial properties?
Our restaurant experience has taught us the importance of having a clear concept before we begin a renovation. We generally know what we want the space to become before we start, which helps guide the design and development process. With historic renovations, you have to be very flexible. Older buildings often come with unique challenges and unexpected discoveries that can affect the timeline. Ultimately, getting the property right is what matters most. We’d rather take the time to do it well and create a space that works for the concept and will serve the community for years to come.
What drew you to the historic property at 555 S Court in downtown Montgomery, and what is your vision for bringing the building back to life?
My uncle, Tom Blount, is my development business partner, and he’s a retired architect. We both believe strongly in Montgomery and want to do our part to help the city grow and thrive. The former Grove Court Apartments had been sitting vacant for nearly 30 years. The property includes five buildings and nearly 50,000 square feet, so we saw an opportunity to bring a significant piece of downtown Montgomery back to life. Our vision is to transform the property into 555 South Court Apartments, adding 46 new residential units downtown while preserving the character and history of the site.
“There’s something especially rewarding about taking a property that has been neglected for years and giving it a new purpose while preserving the character that makes it part of Montgomery’s story.”
What opportunities do your hospitality and commercial development businesses create for future growth?
Our hospitality and development businesses naturally complement one another. The apartments are high-end units that are conveniently located among several of our concepts and align well with our customer base. But more importantly, we’re adding 46 residential units to downtown Montgomery. More people living downtown brings more energy to the streets, creates new opportunities for restaurants, retailers and other businesses while strengthening the entire downtown community.
What do you believe makes a restaurant or commercial property successful?
Good employees are really the key. I’ve been fortunate to have some great managers, chefs, front and back-of-house employees. Having a team that works well together makes all the difference. At the end of the day, a talented and hardworking staff are what make the restaurants and businesses successful. We’re always looking for good people who want to be part of the team.
What opportunities do you see for downtown Montgomery?
There are still plenty of great older buildings downtown that need to be renovated, and I’d like to see more housing added downtown as well. I also think there’s a real opportunity to create more family and pet-friendly activities that give locals more reasons to spend time downtown. The riverfront is a big part of that opportunity.
When you look ahead five years, what do you hope to have accomplished through Vintage Hospitality?
My kids, Jud Jr. and Susannah, are actively involved in the business now. Jud is head of operations for the restaurants, and Susannah is helping launch and manage 555 South Court.
Five years from now, I’d love to see our concepts thriving, with more investment and vibrancy around them. But just as important, I’d love to see my kids continue to be involved in the business as much as they want to be.
Just for FUN!
Recommended Read: If you’re in the hospitality industry, I’d recommend Setting the Table by Danny Meyer.
On the Queue: Widespread Panic, Phish, and jam bands are a constant for me. But I really love all kinds of music, especially going to see live music.
Dinner Date: My dad, who passed away in 2014. I’d also have to say Jerry Garcia. It would be pretty interesting to sit down with him and talk about the modern music scene.
