Johnnie Adams was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, the third oldest of 16 children. He moved to Albany, NY, in the 1960s. There, he would raise a family and have a successful career; he was also the neighborhood mechanic, fixing cars in the driveway for neighbors and friends. He had friends who were business and bar owners throughout the region. He dreamed of returning to Jacksonville and starting an automotive business with his brothers. 

Johnnie's love for fried chicken was a weekly ritual. Every Saturday night, he would walk or send one of his three kids to the corner store for a Pepsi, where his day-off meal was fried chicken with hot sauce, a slice of bread, and that cold Pepsi. This simple pleasure reflected his appreciation for good home-style food. Upon retirement from Verizon, he harbored a dream- to share his love for fried chicken with the world by starting a restaurant. 

Upon his death, he started on his venture to open a tavern, but he never got to see it open due to his untimely passing. His family wanted to continue his dream, and the tavern came to fruition to ensure his legacy in the Capital District lives on.