Scotty's Brewhouse To Replace Dakota's Roadhouse In Oxford

BY BLAIR DONOVAN
Miami University journalism student

Scotty's Brewhouse is scheduled to open its first Ohio location on Jan. 2.

Scotty's announced in May that it would take over 325 S. College Ave., originally expecting to open in October. The restaurant will replace the former Dakota's Roadhouse, a steakhouse chain, in Stewart Square. Dakota's closed last January.

"With any restaurant, it depends on the management and the product they serve," said Alan Kyger, Oxford's economic development director. "I think Dakota's had some difficulty. The food and service wasn't always consistent. Sometimes people had to wait a long time for food."

The Butler County Board of Health has already inspected and approved the restaurant, but complications with a liquor license is causing a delay on the opening. According to Scott Wise, owner and founder of the Scotty's Brewhouse, the Oxford location needed to get a brewery permit, but the process takes about six months and goes through the federal government.

"Because we own restaurants and a brewery in Indiana, some of the laws in Ohio meant we had to jump through extra hoops," said Wise. "We want to sell our beer that we make in our Indiana brewery on-tap in Oxford."

Wise said he had looked at opening a Scotty's in Oxford for the past five to eight years, but he could never find the right location.

"I always thought it was a town our concept would work well in," said Wise.

The Stewart Square developers originally reached out to Wise in 2013 to rent the space, but he declined because the timing wasn't right. Dakota's stepped in and opened in October 2013. About six months after Dakota's closed, the developers reached out to Wise again.

Kyger said Dakota's used to have two areas: the main restaurant area and a smaller saloon room. The saloon had several TVs, and the restaurant area had none. Scotty's gutted the entire space, combining the restaurant and saloon.

Miami color scheme

The restaurant will have a Miami color scheme and local university photos, as well as 50 flat-screen TVs. The space will also include a sound system and brewery. Renovations cost about $500,000.

According to Scotty's Brewhouse's web site, the Oxford location will seat more than 200 people between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. Wise said the restaurant will hire 75 to 100 employees from the community.

"I feel there's a market for this, so it'll be up to them to produce," said Kyger regarding Scotty's.

Scotty's also supports local philanthropies and events throughout all their locations to be a good partner in its communities.

"If a fraternity or sorority wants to do a dine-and-donate night, we do that and give some of the proceeds back to their charity or philanthropy," said Wise.

Wise created Scotty's in 1996, with its original location in Muncie, Ind. The chain now operates 19 locations. Its menu includes a variety of pub grub options, from wings to hamburgers to sandwiches to pizza. Wise is currently looking at opening locations in Columbus and Cincinnati.

Photo: Scotty's Brewhouse restaurant and staff are nearly ready for customers, according to owner Scott Wise. -- Contributed photo