Bar planned at former downtown Ram site promises ‘all the sports, all the time’

Tom’s Watch Bar, a chain founded in Los Angeles, plans to open this year at 140 S. Illinois St., a building that’s been home to Planet Hollywood, Ram Restaurant & Brewery and Goodwood Brewing & Spirits. (IBJ photo/Dave Lindquist)

Big screens and big games guide the business model for Tom’s Watch Bar, a sports-focused chain that plans to open this year at 140 S. Illinois St. in downtown Indianapolis.

The 11,700-square-foot building at the base of a Circle Centre parking garage opened in 1997 as a Planet Hollywood location, followed in 2000 by Ram Restaurant & Brewery and in 2021 by Goodwood Brewing & Spirits.

Tom’s Watch Bar co-founder Tom Ryan, a Michigan State University alum, said the company embraces its motto of “All the sports, all the time.”

“We don’t really have a decor,” said Ryan, also co-founder of the Smashburger fast-casual chain. “We just wallpaper our restaurants in TVs. Every seat is the best seat in the house.”

The first Tom’s Watch Bar concept opened in Los Angeles 10 years ago, taking over a former ESPN Zone location across the street from Crypto.com Arena—where the Los Angeles Lakers play home games.

The current Tom’s Watch Bar roster is made up of 12 locations in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and the District of Columbia.

In Indianapolis, Ryan predicts the concept will attract fans who have tickets to events at nearby Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse, as well as people who hang out to watch games on screens.

“We designed this for the 25- to 35-year-old sports enthusiast, men and women, who are coming in pre- and post-game for live events but also getting together to watch teams,” he said.

Ryan said cheap beer and sticky floors, two things commonly associated with sports bars, won’t be found at Tom’s Watch Bar.

“We cater to this next generation who’s looking for a better entertainment and aesthetic experience,” Ryan said.

For fans who plan ahead, the website for each Tom’s Watch Bar location lists two weeks of upcoming sports broadcasts.

The food menu at Tom’s Watch Bar includes appetizers such as an “Ahi Tuna Tower” and entrees ranging from a prime rib dip to chicken tenders served with cornbread pancakes.

Ryan said he expects Tom’s Watch Bar to open in Indianapolis during the fourth quarter of 2024. The bar and restaurant plans to hire 150 people.

“We opened in Orlando about a month ago,” Ryan said. “We hired about 135 people, and we had 2,000 applicants.”

With Smashburger, Ryan co-founded a chain that now has more than 200 U.S. locations. He previously worked for Pizza Hut, where he helped to develop the stuffed crust pizza concept. Ryan’s resume also includes a six-year stint as worldwide chief concept officer for McDonald’s.

Goodwood, a brewpub chain based in Louisville, did business for two years across the street from St. Elmo Steak House. Washington-based Ram, a craft-brewery pioneer in Indianapolis, lasted for two decades at the South Illinois Street address.

The space’s original tenant, Planet Hollywood, launched in the 1990s with the backing of movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis. At the restaurant’s 1997 grand opening in Indianapolis, the guest list included Willis, Cindy Crawford, Chris Farley, Luke Perry and Tom Arnold.