![]() He currently owns Mucky Duck on the south side of Indianapolis. He’s owned Billiard Cafe Spin Nightclub in Broad Ripple and several clubs catering to African-American and Hispanic clientele in Indianapolis was a Scotty’s Brewhouse franchisee and operated tiki bars in Florida, where he currently lives. “My niche business has been rehabbing and facilitating businesses and starting new ones. Johnson never intended to operate a restaurant or bar downtown I've done pubs," said Johnson, 57, a former rep for the Maker’s Mark whiskey brand. The place was full when he bought the building in 2019. ![]() I bought it strictly as an investment deal and just to be a landlord. I had no aspirations to do anything down there,” he said. The After 6 nightclub had been on the first floor. Taps and Dolls on the second floor and 247 Sky Bar on the third floor, both owned by Ryan Greb, closed in August 2022. The Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission denied Taps and Dolls' liquor license renewal in March 2022. Police had said the bar had been a source of continual problems, including fights, overdoses and the stabbing of a 17-year-old girl.Īlso next door, Tiki Bob's Cantina voluntarily closed days after the publication of an IndyStar investigation that highlighted how state regulators allowed the bar to remain open despite continued violence and underage drinking and one day before owners were to appear at a hearing to renew their liquor license. “When I saw my property being on the national news for having problems and making Indianapolis look like a bad place with shootings, crime sprees, overdoses and whatnot it was not something that I felt like I should sit back and just let happen and collect a rent check. I morally didn't think that was correct,” Johnson said. “I wanted to put my money where my mouth was and didn't want to just rent it out to somebody else to try and do the same thing.” The general manager is Eddie Zelikovich, formerly of Eddie Merlot’s, and the executive kitchen manager is Pferron Morrow, a former chef at Top Golf. Indy's Walk-On's is 74th and northernmost restaurant for Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based company The site will employ more than 200 people, Johnson said, and is still seeking hosts, barbacks, bussers, bartenders, servers and kitchen workers. There is already a location, run by Aramark, on the campus of Purdue University.Īlthough the chain has plenty of gridiron connections, what with Brees’ ownership and franchisees such as Clemson University football coach Dabo Swinney and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Walk-On’s has its genesis in Louisiana State University basketball. ![]() It was founded in 2003 by Brandon Landry and Jack Warner, a pair of walk-ons for the men’s basketball team. They opened the first location near LSU’s football stadium. Former Purdue University quarterback Brees joined as an owner in 2015 while with the New Orleans Saints.īeing located near Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Lucas Oil Stadium and Victory Field as well as the Indiana Convention Center gives the spot a chance to pull in families headed to and from sporting events and activities who can’t dine at a lot of the over-21 restaurant-bar combos that populate the area, Johnson said. “I'm a big believer in investing in my community and I'm just trying to see this area become a renaissance area. Families are starting to come back to Indianapolis for sporting events. So it's just a really neat, neat concept," he said. Walk-On's has a kid's menu and a mini arcade area with claw machines, Golden Tee and other games.I hope you are as excited for today’s recipe as I am.
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