Meet Jay Kloepfer | Co-owner & General Manager at Marti’s at Midday

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jay Kloepfer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jay, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance…. this is defintely an area I’m trying to be more intentional about. When i moved back to take over my sister’s small business in August of 2020, I knew nothing about the restaurant industry and would put in 60, 70, 80 hr weeks trying to learn everything I possibly could to keep the business going and help carry on her legacy. After a couple years of this (and also just the ups and downs of owning a small business – let a lone an independent restaurant), the long days/weeks and lack of work/life balance began to catch up with me. Burnout started to become a reality…. I realized working those long hours wasn’t sustainable and that I wasn’t as productive or my best self when I neglected work/life balance.

This year I’m striving to be more mindful about setting boundaries, prioritizing and delegating more tasks to team members, and establishing a more consistent work schedule…. if the last one is even possible in the restaruant/catering world : )

Ultimately for me, work life balance is essential for my overall well being, fostering my relationships with family & friends and the long term success for my business.

What should our readers know about your business?
I’m most proud of helping a hardworking & dedicated team of people carry on my sister Marti’s legacy. 4 years ago (April 2020) we lost my sister Marti and a few months later I moved back to Athens, Georgia to step into a role as Co-owner/General Manager of a bustling lunch & catering restaurant – Marti’s at Midday. Today in 2024 – the “Midday” is as busy as its ever been and we recently opened a Grab & Go location.

The journey to get here has defintely been difficult. Running a restaurant is the hardest & most demanding jobs I’ve ever had. Taking over a restaurant was never something I really had in my life plans and taking oit over in the midst of covid was defintely a challenge to say the least – we adapted though. We overcame many challenges by integrating more techonology into the business, streamlining operations, implementing systems, working tirelessly & learning as much as we could about the restuarant/catering industry. It’s been a tough road but we’re headed on the right track

There are so many lessons I’ve learned (and I’m still learning) over the past 4 years – 1) cultivating relationships is crucial and you must take care of your team, 2) everyday will be different and you must learn to be adaptable, 3) building a business requires dedication, persistence & resiliency, and 4) work/life balance is vital to long term success & well-being.

What I’ve love the world to know about our brand/story….. that we are committed to carrying on Marti’s legacy. Her love of food & people was magical and we hope to share that with as many people as we can for years to come

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One of the things I love the most about Athens is the community. There are so many special people & places in this town and it would be easy to fill a week of fun & unique things to do.

Eats/Drinks – there are so many great places that aren’t on the list below
– Breakfast/Brunch – Mama’s Boy. Farm Cart, Big City Bread, Cafe Racer
– Lunch – Marti’s at Midday : ), Cali n Titos, Weaver D’s, Maepole
– Dinner – Seabear, The National, Last Resort, ZZ & Simone’s
– Drinks/Coffee – HiLo, Old Pal, Hidden Gem, Jittery Joe’s, Hendershot’s
– Breweries – Creature Comforts, Terrapin, Athentic

Things to Do
– Concert at Georgia Theatre, 40 watt or Hendershot’s
– Walk the trails at the State Botanical Gardens
– Walk the greenway
– Visit the Tree that owns itself
– Tailgate & go see the Dawgs play at Sanford Stadium
– Check out one of the local record stores
– Cooking class at Athens Cooks

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Love this question! We should begin with my sister Marti – she deserves one of the biggest shoutouts of them all. She was an incredible human being who reached so many people through her generosity, hospitality & love of food. Everyday a team of incredible people help me carry on her legacy at Marti’s at Midday.

I’d love to shout out my family – my dad & mom have been so supportive and encouraging over the years and I’ve gained invaluable life lessons from the two of them that I’ll carry with me forever. My siblings have easily helped shape me into the person I am today. All the siblings are pretty spread out (from Japan to Hawaii to California to Georgia) and seeing them travel/explore have also given me the courage to jump into new adventures throughout my life.

Website: www.martisatmidday.com

Image Credits
Evermore Photo Co, Cameron Creative Co