Featured image: Drew Dempsey-Tell Agency
Stamps Super Burgers–a Jackson, MS mainstay–is well known for its made-to-order, larger-than-life classic burger. But for 55 years, it has also been known as a place of refuge and welcome for the Black community in Jackson–and all who walk through its doors.
It’s a Monday morning, and Phil Stamps Jr. stands over the sink, apron tied around his waist, washing potatoes. He’s preparing for a busy day in the kitchen–every day at Stamps Super Burgers is busy.
Phil is chief operator and the third generation in the Stamps family to run the restaurant, but the simple tasks like washing potatoes aren’t beneath him. That’s because Stamps Super Burgers prides itself on serving up impeccable quality, from fries that were hand-cut that very morning to 11 oz. burgers, lovingly shaped and grilled to perfection. Every detail matters.
As his hands work, Phil flashes back to when he stood over that very sink as a child, his feet on a step stool, and his grandfather by his side. They washed potatoes together every Saturday morning, and Phil earned fifty cents for his hard work. But he took away much more than pocket change.
“It helped instill in me a work ethic and a love for the kitchen, a love for cooking,” said Phil, who vividly recalls those Saturday mornings. He also remembers how much his grandfather, Algernon Stamps, meant to the community of Jackson, Mississippi.
A Place for Healing
It was the Spring of 1970, and racial tensions were high in Jackson. White motorists had been targeting Black students at the historic Jackson State College, accelerating toward them as they walked through campus, hurling objects and racial slurs from their vehicles. After peaceful protests by students, an unknown person set fire to a dump truck on the evening of May 14, triggering a riot, and city police and State Troopers responded.
Law enforcement opened fire, spraying over 400 rounds of bullets and shattering the windows in the women’s dormitory. Twelve people were shot, dozens injured, and two young Black men were killed: Phillip Gibbs, a student at Jackson State who was married with two children, and James Earl Green, a senior at nearby Jim Hill High School who was walking home from work.
Following the Gibbs-Green shooting, the Black community in Jackson was in need of a space for community and healing. As an educator, minister, Air Force veteran, and father of six, Algernon Stamps was the right man to create that space.
He and Barbara moved to the Washington Addington community, just a few blocks down from Jackson State College. The couple purchased a corner store near their new house, and Stamps Grocery and Market opened its doors.
“My grandparents were committed to faith, to love and nurturing, and encouraging. They built their business on those founding principles,” says Phil. “It was very healing after everything that happened with the Gibbs-Green shooting. They made it their mission to not only show that love with their service and their resources, but their food and their business.”
A Legend in the Making
In 1986, Stamps Grocery Store and Market became Stamps Super Burgers, but how that transition came about is the stuff of family legend. Phil says that the first Stamps burger was made after church one Sunday when Algernon couldn’t find a place with a decent burger. So, he fired up the griddle and made one for himself.
Pleased with the results, he started selling his trademark burgers at the corner store, and before long, word had spread. More and more people came into the store saying, “Make me one of those Stamps burgers!”
Algernon’s instinct for cooking and love of community was the starting point for Stamps Super Burgers, and his culinary creativity is still showcased on the menu today. He and Barbara developed the one-of-a-kind lemon pepper seasoning that serves as the base for most of the recipes–including Stamps’ iconic fries.
“It’s a little salty, a little tangy, with a kick from the pepper, and it’s just a perfect pairing to a fresh cut potato that’s cooked to order and served piping hot,” said Phil.
The third-generation restaurateur is proud of those crispy lemon pepper fries, as he should be. But he’s more proud of his family legacy—a legacy he is building on through the unique skills and experience he brings to Stamps Super Burgers.
After attending college in Atlanta, Phil worked in insurance sales and operations at an entertainment facility, which taught him about building relationships with customers and gave him a behind-the-scenes look at the world of business.
Today, Phil is in charge of the restaurant’s day-to-day operations, which means his father, Phil Stamps, Sr., and uncles, Al and Timothy Stamps, can enjoy a much-deserved rest from daily involvement. But Phil is careful to give credit where credit is due.
“I did not reinvent the wheel by any means. My grandfather, my father, and my uncles–they established the burger brand,” he said. “I’m adding my two cents, taking what they developed and creating a structure so we can multiply the business and continue to make a quality product that we’re proud of, that our customers have come to expect.”
Burger Science
That quality is on full display in the classic Super Burger. Its construction is a science: mustard, pickle, and red onion below the 11-ounce patty, and mayo, ketchup, melty cheese, fresh tomato, and crispy lettuce above. Choose from the list of extras, including grilled mushrooms and onions, bacon, and jalapenos.
Quantity is just as vital. It was important to Algernon that his customers didn’t leave hungry, and got plenty of good food for the price. That was part of how he loved his community well.
“All of the products are produced in house,” says Phil. “So we’re talking about our ground beef: we’re hand mixing, seasoning, and patting that every day. The potatoes? We’re washing and cutting those every single day. We’re providing a product where our customers never have to compromise quality, quantity, or taste.”
Phil can’t decide on a menu favorite, which is no surprise with so many tempting items. Depending on the day, he’ll serve himself up a classic Super Burger, a smoked sausage sandwich, or a Super Bello Burger–one of several lighter choices available.
Whatever you order, you’ll feel welcomed and you’ll leave full. Because Stamps Super Burgers continues in the tradition upon which it was founded: love for community and dedication to quality.
A Community Legacy
That community care extends beyond the doors of Stamps Super Burgers. Phil and his family bring it out into the community of Jackson through involvement with students at Blackburn Middle School and Jim Hill High School.
The Algernon & Barbara Lloyd Stamps Scholarship at Jackson State University provides financial assistance to future business education students to prepare them to serve professionally, civically, and socially. The scholarship honors Algernon Stamps’ (1934-2002) legacy in Jackson and his dedication as an educator.
“I think that being a servant leader is vital to our success,” says Phil. As he continues that servant leader role, he honors the men and women who came before him and all they stood for. “We want to make sure that we don’t forget those core values, and just continue to follow the path that’s been paved.”
Read more about Southern chefs and the impact they have on their communities here.
