Varsity Sports Grill, a downtown Fort Smith restaurant, is going to be purchased by an Oklahoma company, according to Jayne Hughes, Fort Smith Director of Downtown Development.
The Oklahoma company is called BT Concepts, owner of a restaurant chain called Bricktown Brewery. BT Concepts is located in Oklahoma City, according to Buck Warfield, managing partner of the company.
Although the name of the restaurant will change with the purchase, the restaurant will still have televisions so residents can come in and watch sporting events, according to Hughes.
Warfield said Varsity will become a Bricktown Brewery.
“It’s very exciting,” Hughes said, talking about the purchase.
Varsity Sports Grill will close while renovations are made to the building, according to the building’s owner Richard Griffin.
While the restaurant itself is being bought, Griffin will retain ownership of the building the restaurant resides in, he said.
Although the purchase of the business is final, Warfield said that no final date has been set for renovations to start. Varsity is still open, and anyone who has an event booked inside will not be interrupted by construction.
The Central Business Improvement District looked at plans for the renovations and gave Warfield permission to move forward and draw up final plans, according to Hughes.
The Bricktown Brewery in Fort Smith will not be brewing beer, according to Warfield. Instead, they’ll focus on craft beers.
Warfield said that renovations to the building will cost approximately $500,000 to $750,000 and will include adding a patio to the building for outdoor dining.
The main entrance will also change from the rear of the restaurant to the front on Garrison Avenue, according to Hughes.
