Struts Wings, Burgers & More | Jacksonville & Oxford, Alabama

Restaurant coming to Rainbow City

By Mo Jackson, Times Staff Writer

Published November 23, 2006

Rainbow City will get a new restaurant sometime during the first of the year.

Struts restaurant hopes to provide good, fresh food and a little something for everyone, spokes-man Ryan Fritts said.

Fritts said the restaurant will serve wings, burgers, wraps and salads. "Most people know us for our wings, but we have more than that," Fritts said. "We have burgers, fresh salads and quesadillas on the menu. If you can't find it here, you aren't going to find it anywhere."

Fritts said the restaurant will serve bottled beer but didn't want to be known as a bar. "We are known for our food," he said. "We want to deliver the best and freshest food. We serve bottled beer, but not any liquor. We don't want to be known as a bar. We're a place you can bring the whole family."

The new restaurant will be at 3015 Second St., in the old Big Apple Bagel location off Rainbow Drive.

He said the restaurant will employ about 40 people, including cooks, managers and servers.

The first Struts opened in 1999 in Jacksonville, where the company is based, with a second store opening in 2003 in Oxford.

Fritts said opening a location in Rainbow City was a no-brainer and city officials have been very receptive. "We found the right location at the right time, and we thought it would work for us," he said. "We get a lot of customers from the Rainbow City and Southside area at our other restaurants. We're going to make this the third (Struts restaurant) and hopefully more after that."

"We're trying to get both Rainbow City and Gadsden residents," Fritts said. "We think it has very good potential."

Mayor Terry Calhoun said there are several new businesses coming to Rainbow City and the future looks bright.

"It's great to have new businesses open in Rainbow City," he said. "We're proud to have all new businesses. I think we're looking good for the future. We have some more businesses in the talking stages."

He said Guthrie's is among those new businesses coming to the city.

Struts will be decorated with sports memorabilia and have large television screens so patrons can watch sporting events while they dine, Fritts said.

"Our first thing is, we have been known to serve fresh things," Fritts said. "We're here for whoever wants to come in and get some good food. We have a good atmosphere."

Fritts said the restaurant has plans of expanding seating as well.

"We are eventually going to put an awning over the fenced-in area," he said.

To view a Struts menu, visit the restaurant's Web site at www.strutswings.com.

Eatery Expansion:

Jacksonville staple hopes it can survive Oxford's challenge

Jessica Centers - Star Staff Writer
Published: March 1, 2004

Oxford Retaurant Front In the summer of 2001, two restaurants were preparing to open up in a new Oxford strip mall off of U.S. 78 - a location their local owners said would be ideal for business. Noble Place, formerly a downtown Anniston restaurant, was moving to Oxford because the local woman who owned it said she wanted more traffic exposure. The local family that chose to open a Pasquale's restaurant had the same idea. They said the strip mall behind Logan's Roadhouse was one of the best locations in Oxford.

Less than three years later, neither eatery is still in business, but soon another local restaurant owner will try his luck in the same spot.

Struts - a Jacksonville restaurant popular among university students, faculty and area residents - will take its first step toward becoming a regional chain when its Oxford location opens this month.

Struts General Manager Justin Hayes described the move into Oxford as a test.

"Oxford is a bigger market," he said. "We want to try to make a chain out of these things. We'll see if it was a fluke in Jacksonville or a legitimate restaurant chain."

Expanding the already successful venture to Oxford should prove a challenge because the city, though only 15 miles away, is worlds apart from Jacksonville.

Struts restaurant in Jacksonville is packed during a recent lunch rush. The restaurant will soon try its luck in Oxford, as the owners open a second location.

Struts restaurant's newest location is located behind Logan's Roadhouse in Oxford.

To see more upcoming events, see our our calendar.

String Music for Jacksonville Business

By Crystal Jarvis and Steve Ivey
Star Staff Writers
Published: February 24, 2006

Girl with black shirt JACKSONVILLE - Tuesday after work, Jerry Mitchell and his two sons, students at Buckhorn High School north of Huntsville, loaded their Suburban - navy blue for Buckhorn - and drove nearly three hours to Jacksonville. They checked into the University Inn about 9 p.m. Tuesday. On Wednesday they grabbed lunch at the McDonald's on Pelham Road before rooting on Buckhorn against Etowah in the 5A boys matchup at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

After the game, Mitchell planned to fill his Suburban's tank and head home to New Market.

It's families like theirs that help make the Northeast Regional basketball tournament an economic boon for Jacksonville.

"Of course, any time you're on the road like this, you're going to end up spending money," Mitchell said. "I'm sure they love seeing people like us come to town."

Bill Scroggins, a finance professor at Jacksonville State University, said a study he conducted showed the tournament took in $141,702 in admissions alone last year, with a total attendance of 23,748. He said 32 of the 42 schools in last year's Northeast Regional came from outside the three-county area of Calhoun, Cleburne and Talladega.

Scroggins did not have specific numbers on the total economic impact the tournament has for Jacksonville, but with 35 of 42 schools coming from outside the three-county area this year, he expects similar crowds.

"People come in here, they gas up their cars, they go to restaurants, they buy general merchandise," he said. "Any time you can offer an event here and allow the public to see your facilities, it's a great promotional tool."

David Neisler, owner and operator of the Jacksonville McDonald's, said each year his store increases sales by 10 to 20 percent during tournament week.

"Typically a lot of our traffic comes from the drive-through," Neisler said. "With the tournament, we have more folks eating inside. We love having a full lobby and a full parking lot."

Neisler said his store also increases crew and managing staffs by up to 20 percent during peak hours to handle the extra customers.

Ryan Fritts, manager of Struts on Forney Avenue in Jacksonville, said his restaurant's business increases most when there are more local teams in the tournament.

"It seems like most of the schools from farther away come in for the game and leave right after," Fritts said.

The lunch rush at Struts usually ends around 2 p.m., but Fritts said the restaurant usually stays busy until closing time during the tournament.

He said Struts also hosts tournament referees for one day each year and donates a meal to them.

Bob Vaidya, owner of the Super 8 Hotel on McClellan Boulevard in Anniston, said restaurants probably see more increased business because most spectators don't stay over. But with Wednesday competitors Buckhorn, Priceville, Butler and Scottsboro all coming more than 100 miles, Vaidya said some visitors are spending the night.

"We have some guests who will leave today and then come back on Friday or Saturday," he said.

Jacksonville Mayor Johnny Smith said visitors to the tournament may create minor traffic jams.

"There may be certain times where (traffic) clogs up around the square," Smith said. "But we deal with the JSU traffic every day, so we're used to it."

And Smith said Jacksonville residents see more benefits than economic gains alone.

"It means a lot for the city," he said. "A lot of our citizens get to enjoy seeing some great basketball."

Shakeya Williams works during a busy lunchtime rush at Jacksonville's Struts earlier this week. The annual Northeast Regional basketball tournament at Jacksonville State University brings in tens of thousands of outside dollars to area businesses such as restaurants and motels. Photo: Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star

Jacksonville Council to Vote on Ventilation System Rules

By Crystal Jarvis
Star Staff Writer
Published: February 24, 2006

JACKSONVILLE - For a week now, Bama Grill patrons have received their pancakes, sausage, eggs and bacon minus the tobacco smoke. Jacksonville's indoor smoking ban took effect Feb. 14, forcing smokers to forgo their cigarettes while dining at local bars and restaurants.

Some customers have struggled with the need to comply.

"We've had some that really got ugly about not being able to smoke," said Connie Sparrowhawk, owner of Bama Grill. "We had one man that started cursing and really showing out. (My employee) had to ask him to leave."

On the other hand, Sparrowhawk is upbeat because she's noticed a new group of diners at Bama Grill - non-smokers.

"We have faces we've never seen before. That, we think, is because of no smoking," Sparrowhawk said.

Some relief could be on the way for some local restaurant and bar owners who wish to please both their smoking and non-smoking patrons. Jacksonville City Council will vote Monday on a proposed revision to ventilation system requirements in the Smoke-Free Ordinance. The proposed changes may make such systems more affordable for eatery and pub owners, making it possible to allow smoking inside their establishments.

Many restaurant owners have said they wouldn't install ventilation systems because the ordinance's strict guidelines raise the expense of the required equipment.

The current ordinance requires "an electrically powered hospital grade" ventilation system that is capable of removing not only tobacco, but a number of other particles including - "dust, smoke, pollen, mold spores, bacteria, viruses and allergens and not less that 95 percent of gases, vapors and volatile organic compounds."

Mayor Johnny Smith admits the ventilation system rules are a tad stern.

"That was not our intent," Smith said. "We were wanting to remove tobacco smoke and all of its harmful contents."

If approved, the revised ordinance would require only ventilation systems with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters capable of disinfecting the air every 15 minutes within a designated smoking area, Smith said.

Some local businesses - including Bama Grill - are content to be non-smoking establishments.

"We have not had too many complaints at all," said Ryan Fritts, manager of Struts. "(There's) just a few people who have not heard about (the smoking ordinance), which is surprising."

Struts decided against the ventilation systems because the building isn't designed to accommodate such systems, Fritts said.

"We checked into (ventilation systems) and it was too much for our budget," Fritts said. "From what I understand, you still have to designate a smoking area. Our building is so small that we couldn't do that, so we just decided to go non-smoking."

Tommy Patterson smokes outside Bama Grill in Jacksonville. The city's indoor smoking ban took effect Feb. 14. Photo: Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star

Noble Street Festival
The Second Annual Red Diamond Restaurant Tour

The Anniston Star

Published: May 3, 2006

It's a mantra most often muttered by wishful thinkers around Thanksgiving and Christmas: "I'll start my diet … tomorrow." Even the most iron-willed, health conscious, carb-repelled connoisseur may fight it hard to resist the festivities taking place Saturday as Noble Street is transformed into an open-air food court.

And don't bother hiding indoors. The aroma is likely to make mouths water for miles as the aroma wafts from 26 local and chain restaurants - all vying for the attention of thousands of hungry visitors.

As a main attraction to the Noble Street Festival, the second annual Red Diamond Restaurant Tour gives local restaurants the opportunity to show off their specialties to a consistent throng of would-be diners.

From barbecue to brownies, smoked sausage to schnitzel, the Red Diamond tour promises an endless parade of dishes that'll hopefully satisfy any taste or craving, says Jean Ann Oglesby, who is serving as tour liaison.

"It's going to be a wonderful win-win event," she says. "Restaurants get to introduce themselves to hungry people who in turn get to enjoy some great food."

After the first year of the tour, many lessons were learned, Oglesby explains. Last year, the 12 participating restaurants were somewhat overwhelmed by crowd of 4,000 that turned out. The result was long lines and frustrated - not to mention hungry - customers when some restaurants ran out of food.

"It was something of a fiasco," Oglesby says. "Last year, it was $10 and all-you-could-eat. But that just didn't work. This time, I'm confident it will go more smoothly."

This year's tour will be modeled after a Taste of Chicago, a longstanding outdoor event, Oglesby says. Participants will purchase dining tickets that can be spent on any number of dishes at any of the restaurants in the tour.

For example, a slice of deep-dish pizza from Mata's will take two dining tickets while a ribeye sandwich from Classic on Noble requires six tickets. Home-style country pot roast, Italian-style green beans, whole potatoes, cornbread, muffins or Toastums from the Courthouse Café will run five dining tickets, while cheesecake on a stick from Memory Makers of Heflin takes only one dining ticket.

Tickets will be $15 for a strip of 13 and $5 for strip of four. Unused tickets may be redeemed for $1 each at a designated location within the festival.

Advanced tickets are now on sale at A.G. Edwards in Anniston and at Noble Bank and Trust's Oxford and Anniston branches. Tickets also will be available at the festival from noon until 8 p.m. A child-friendly section will also be available.

The Red Diamond tour also will be an opportunity for participating restaurants to enjoy a little friendly competition. With the dining ticket system, customers must make real decisions as to where to eat rather than simply attempting to eat some of everything, Oglesby says.

"Last year, a lot of us were like deer caught in the headlights," she says. "We were just doing our best to hold on and survive. But this year we're all really excited - as much about the planning and the preparation as the actual dishes being served.

"I think everybody is going to walk away satisfied."

With this year's tour having expanded to more than double the number of restaurants, turnout is expected to increase as well. Some estimates run upwards of 16,000 people, but Oglesby thinks that might be a bit high.

"I'm really expecting more like 8,000, which is double last year's numbers, so that says something important right there about how popular this thing has become," she says. "But we'll be ready no matter what. So if 16,000 show up - so be it.

"No matter what, it's going to be a fun afternoon."

4-8 p.m.
Struts
6 wings - 3 dining tickets
12 wings - 5 dining tickets

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Fax: 256-241-1991
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