John Morris may not be superman, but he certainly is a man of steel. In 1988, when Downtown Long Beach was flanked with empty storefronts, this British expat took a gamble by being the first to open a fine dining restaurant along Pine Avenue. Mum’s, named for his mom, was an instant success and a welcome addition. Soon other entrepreneurs were taking their cues from Morris and opening their own downtown establishments.
“I’ve been a part of the visioning and planning of Downtown Long Beach for more than 20 years,” says Morris. “It’s been exciting to see all the pieces come together.”
Mum’s, however, was not this innovator’s first success. In 1979 Morris took a leap of faith and opened Legends Sports Bar in Belmont Shore with NFL great Dennis Harrah. Touted as the granddaddy of sports bars, Legends was the first of its kind in the U.S. with its big screen televisions, satellite reception and professional athletes who frequented the place. John eventually sold Legends, but his love for a great neighborhood pub never waivered. In 2004 he decided to change concepts by transforming Mum’s into Smooth’s Sports Grille. And the rest as they say is history.
When John isn’t working the room at Smooth’s or providing input on one of the many boards he sits on, including the Downtown Long Beach Associates, Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Long Beach Boys and Girls Club, this father of four is likely playing a friendly game of rugby like an proper British bloke.
Smooth's Sports Grille