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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowRestaurant owner Scott Wise, who grew Scotty’s Brewhouse to a chain of nearly 20 locations, is planning a third site for his Roots Burger Bar concept—the first location in Indianapolis.
IBJ reported in September that Wise was leading an ownership group that had secured a 2,500-square-foot space in Carmel for the second restaurant under the Roots umbrella. The original Roots opened in 2019 in Muncie.
Wise told IBJ on Wednesday that a third location is now slated near the intersection of 71st Street and Binford Boulevard in Indianapolis.
Wise isn’t, however, looking ahead to a fourth Roots location, saying he’s committed to his day job as a retail real estate broker for the Indianapolis office of Dallas-based CBRE.
“I really love what I’m doing,” Wise said of helping owners of restaurants, breweries and retail stores open businesses.
Wise began his real estate career after selling the Scotty’s Brewhouse chain in 2016. Scotty’s Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2018, when the restaurant chain closed its downtown Indianapolis, Carmel, Muncie and Waco, Texas, locations.
Ball State University alum Wise said the first Roots restaurant, which opened in the same Muncie building that housed the original Scotty’s Brewhouse 23 years earlier, stands as proof that he can repeat an earlier success.
He remembers telling investors in his Esports Restaurant Group that he didn’t intend to replicate the scale of Scotty’s Brewhouse.
“‘I don’t want any of you to think that I’m going to grow another chain of restaurants,’” Wise said. “I love the business enough that I want to get back into it, but I want to get back into it in a way where I’m just overseeing from afar.”
In Phil Wills, who owned Muncie’s Dill Street Bar & Grill from 1993 to 2015, Roots has a general manager who guides the Muncie restaurant, 1700 W. University Ave., and will guide the Carmel and Indianapolis restaurants.
The Carmel location, 12552 Gray Road, previously was home to Some Guys Pizza Pasta Grill. The Indianapolis location, 5711 E. 71st St., previously was home to Madera Tex Mex BBQ & Tap.
Wise said he’s eager to bring a “cool, family-friendly burger bar” to a part of Indianapolis where dining options presently include Blind Owl Brewery, George’s Neighborhood Grill and Ramen Ray.
He’s not soliciting suggestions of other neighborhoods to enhance.
“This is the final iteration, I think, of Roots,” Wise said.
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why is this news?
Must be slow news day…
Wonderful! Now he can pay back the countless building owners, vendors, and employees that got left holding the bag the last time.
He sold Scotty’s in 2016, the chain closed in 2018. The people who bought the chain from him are the ones responsible for that debt.
Rhea, Scott Wise was sued for fraud by existing investors and then the new buyers as well. I couldn’t find the resolution to those cases after a brief search, but he then filed personal bankruptcy.
Scott Wise is a great person. I’m sure these will be great eating choices. Too many vultures make negative comments to IBJ articles. Use your same energies for good.
Amazing he has new investors
Why? He isn’t the one who closed down Scotty’s. He sold it and they are responsible for any debt owed to investors.
Rhea, Google…
Hopefully he can add a restaurant downtown in one of the many vacant storefronts.
I’ve never heard anything good about Mr. Wise when it comes to running a restaurant business. I attended BSU and ate at Scotty’s.
google is a thing