Conversation Piece

West Louisville is experiencing another “Harlem Renaissance” in the Russell neighborhood, and Donnie Adkins, owner of Club Cedar and Joe’s Palm Room, is King of the revitalized social scene. Through Parkland to the southwest of the Russell neighborhood is where Donnie Adkins grew up: Park DuValle, initially known as “Little Africa” and then “Southwick” during his time there. “We grew up really poor, but I always knew I would be successful.” Adkins recalls nice cars rolling into Southwick every Saturday to help with community projects. “I told my teachers I wanted to be a banker because the bank is where all the money is.” The accidental purchase of a Master P album in 1993 spurred Adkins’ ambitions even further. Three years earlier, Master P’s grandfather had been killed in a tragic workplace accident. Percy Miller, aka Master P, flipped his $10,000 malpractice insurance settlement and two years’ worth of junior college business education into a Bay Area record store. The record store business evolved into the record label No Limit Records, and Master P has a current estimated net worth of nearly $250 million. Donnie Adkins attended Southern High School, got into trouble, and in 1997 graduated from Jefferson County High School. His first real job after high school was with Frito-Lay, but recovery from a car accident forced him out of work. At 19, Adkins began working maintenance for Louisville’s housing authority, “But I knew I still wanted to be an entrepreneur and make more money.” So, along with his two best friends, he enrolled in the National College of Business, where all three would graduate at the top of their class. “I quickly realized an Associate Degree didn’t really move the needle.” Adkins attended night classes in Business Administration at Sullivan University and earned a promotion to Section 8 Ombudsman with Louisville Metro Government’s Office of Housing and Community Development. In 2006, he received his MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University and began working in supply chain and procurement at Humana. Adkins and some Humana colleagues attended Men’s Monday at Club Cedar, discussing local issues and “solving the world’s problems” still in suits and ties. He told his friends, “If this place ever comes up for sale, I’m buying it.” Dave Duncan offered to get in on the act as Kitchen Manager. In June 2011, Adkins moved to Indianapolis as Supplier Diversity Manager for IU Health. He met his future wife, Kandis, who was completing her Anesthesiologist residency. In 2013, they moved to Louisville, where Donnie worked for RSCS/Yum! Brands, Papa John’s International, and started Adkins & Adkins LLC. Donnie and Dr. Kandis L. Adkins were married that October. In 2015, just as Adkins quit his job to pursue real estate opportunities full-time, Louisville Metro Government’s Housing Program Supervisor position became available. After three years, he asked Kandis if she’d mind if he quit, to which she replied, “I don’t know why you took that job in the first place.” The Turner family was finally ready to sell Club Cedar by December 2020. “They trusted that I was the one to take it to the next level.”

Adkins describes Club Cedar as the neighborhood Cheers. The bartenders have remained in place for 12-25 years and are known for serving “the best drinks in town.” Adkins has upgraded the food and beverage menus to include Blackowned bourbon selections and passes vendor deals on beer and wine to customers. He hears customer suggestions and takes action. Club Cedar now has a blacktop parking lot, a new commercial HVAC system, pristine bathrooms, a renovated commercial kitchen, and proper floors, doors, and windows. This past October, Club Cedar hosted a performance by R&B/Soul legend Lenny Williams. The legendary Joe’s Palm Room originally opened in 1954. It quickly became “the place to be” for locals who hoped to run into visiting celebrities like Joe Louis, Dizzy Gillespie, Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, or Muhammad Ali. Namesake owner Joe Hammond passed away in 1997, and the jazz club closed some years later. In September 2020, it reopened briefly as The Palm Room before Adkins, Butch Mosby, and Victor Sandusky took over the fully renovated space and restored the original name. They reopened Joe’s Palm Room in January 2022 and recently hired a new Beverage Director and a Chef for sophisticated food pairings. “Even at 44 years old, I have had to grow up even more in the last two years,” says Adkins. “Knowing what not to change is just as important. How do I make money, make everyone feel at home, and progress in the 21st century? It is a challenge every single day, and safety in the city is a concern. Continuing to bring in these classic soul artists requires a security presence. We must be very cognizant and not blind to what could happen.” Despite its challenges, Adkins finds business ownership rewarding. Adkins hosts financial and real estate education events at Club Cedar and his cryptocurrency event with Lamar Wilson was a sell-out. He says, “I am a role model using my platform to educate. People are watching me. I’m under a microscope, so it’s all on the up-and-up with nothing to hide.”

Visit thepalmroomlounge.com and follow @ClubCedar on Facebook.

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