Taylor Grocery Catering Donates $200,000 to Ole Miss Alumni Center

“This gift came about from our love of Ole Miss and wanting to give back to what has given us so much,” John Shannon Gillentine said.

According to a report from the UM Foundation, owners of Taylor Grocery Catering have pledged $200,000 to the University of Mississippi to support the development of the new Triplett Alumni Center.

The contribution secures naming rights for a kitchen within the facility, which is part of a larger $51 million project designed to modernize how the university hosts alumni, students, and visitors.

The gift from Butch Scott and John Shannon Gillentine aims to facilitate the construction of the center, which is expected to be completed in 2029.

TAYLOR CATFISH GROCERY – IN BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN TAYLOR, MISSISSIPPI The very first time I ever went to Tayor Grocery, about 30 years ago, it was just a sleepy, small town, grocery. There were maybe 50 people living at Taylor, ten miles below Oxford, Mississippi. Now it is a… pic.twitter.com/i0oSXPnxk6

— Post by @CaptLowry on X

The planned building will feature a ballroom, an alumni records office, and a large event space alongside the new catering kitchen that will bear the Taylor Grocery name.

The project intends to provide expanded gathering spaces to better serve the university’s growing community of guests and prospective students.

“Their partnership will allow us to bring a true taste of Oxford and that unmistakable Southern flair to many of the experiences we create at the Triplett Alumni Center,” Mary Kate Skelton, director of fundraising for the Ole Miss Alumni Association, said.

Skelton noted that the Taylor Grocery name will remain a presence in the building for years as it serves hundreds of thousands of visitors.

The relationship between the catering company and the university has deepened since 2021, when Gillentine and Scott purchased the business from the original owner of Taylor Grocery.

Taylor Grocery Catering Donates $200,000 to Ole Miss Alumni Center

Since that acquisition, the company has expanded into one of the leading catering brands in the region while maintaining its role at university events, including gameday tailgates.

For Gillentine, a 2019 graduate, the decision to donate was rooted in a lifelong family connection to the institution.

“I chose the alumni center due to the connection I have from being an alumnus myself. In fact, most of my family members are alumni. I thought giving to the alumni center would help to ensure those coming back to make memories would have a space to do so.”

Gillentine noted that while his father graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, he became a supporter of the Rebels years ago.

“Growing up an Ole Miss Rebel and continuing that trend with my own children is something that cannot be replaced,” Gillentine said.

The UM Foundation reported that the partnership reflects the company’s commitment to the Oxford community.

“Butch, John Shannon and the entire Taylor Grocery team work incredibly hard and embody the very best of Oxford’s legendary Southern hospitality,” Skelton said.

“When we began thinking about the future of the Triplett Alumni Center, we knew they would be the perfect partner to help bring that vision to life.”

“Our hope for this gift,” Gillentine said, “is that it will help other families have a space to make those same memories that I was able to make with my own.”