Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux is opening its eighth Alabama location in Trussville on December 11, and the response is already impressing the franchise owner. The Louisiana-based sports bar was once named the #1 Sports Bar in America by ESPN, and it appears the folks in east Jefferson County are ready to make it a hot spot.
Owner Matt Roth told 1819 News he believes the location will be in the top three of the 87 locations nationwide.
"It's like a feeding frenzy," Roth said. "It's unbelievable, man. I tell you, the responses we've gotten from all of our social media and the amount of people who have pulled into the parking lot before we opened is unbelievable. It's like 20 cars an hour."
Roth said he even had a party of 40 call ahead this week.
"We hated to turn them down and tell them we still had a week and a half until opening," said Roth. "But it really says a lot about the community."
Local newspaper publisher Scott Buttram said during his time at The Trussville Tribune, he has realized that new restaurants get a stellar response.
"It melts down the website every time," Buttram said. "Jim 'N Nicks, Chick-fil-A and Panera have all had record openings in Trussville and they continue to do well. You keep hearing it from different eateries that open in Trussville and at some point, you've got to think, 'There's something to this."
So why is it that Trussville is becoming such a food destination?
"I think it's two-fold," Buttram said. "Trussville is the fastest growing city in Jefferson County and it has been consistently. It's also surrounded by other growing areas like Argo, Moody and Leeds. All of the neighboring cities do shop and eat in Trussville. So, it's a combination of Trussville's growth and strong neighbors."
Another surprise for Roth was the number of job applicants for Walk-On's.
"We had over 290 applicants," said Roth. "That's never happened in any of our restaurants that we've ever opened. It says a lot about the community and a lot about where the economy's going and we're pretty excited about it."
At a time when many restaurants nationwide are struggling to find workers, Roth said he is thankful to have such a response in the Trussville area.
Walk-On's offers from-scratch items that Roth said are split into three categories: bar food, South Louisiana favorites and heart-healthy items.
The new Walk-On's will be at 464 Main Street, Trussville. The opening date is set for December 11. Hours will be Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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