Show-Me's Restaurant sure to spark conversation

Imagine Hooters and Buffalo Wild Wings combining and coming to Terre Haute. Sunday afternoon, that will be a reality.

Open Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. and running normal business hours, the popular Show Me’s restaurant franchise was best described by co-owner Mike Connelly as a mix between Hooters and Buffalo Wild Wings.

“We will have a ‘soft opening’ a day early on Sunday so people can watch the Colts game,” Connelly said. “We will open at 2 p.m. and close at midnight.”

Show Me’s normal hours will be Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight, Connelly said.

“We will have a whole sports bar theme,” he said. “We will also have over 40 50-inch plasmas, seven big screens at 161 inches, we will have every UFC fight and all the Pay-Per-Views, three pool tables in the back, two full bars, it will be 18 and over so it will be a smoking environment and can reach the whole university.”

Connelly also said there will be a full patio with big screens, and that Terre Haute’s Show Me’s will be the 14th installment of the St. Louis-born franchise.

Connelly is one of two co-owners of the Terre Haute restaurant, along with another Terre Haute resident.

“We are two local guys from the Terre Haute area,” he said. “The other gentleman went to ISU and I went to IU.

Connelly said his business partner took him to a Show Me’s restaurant in Evansville and he became interested in opening one.

“It was great food with attractive waitresses, and we thought that is what Terre Haute would be interested in,” he said.

Connelly said the waitresses outfits are “a little more modern.”

“Hooters hasn’t really changed much since it opened in the 80’s,” he said. “Our outfits are a little shorter, and the waitresses all have to wear panty-hose.”

Connelly said during the winter seasons the waitresses will have longer outfits they can wear.

“The shorts will be there but they will be able to wear either a sweater-type top or a longer T-shirt.

As far as people who may not be in favor of the atmosphere coming to Terre Haute, Connelly said the reception has been fairly positive.

“We’ve had mainly compliments so far,” he said. “Obviously it is not for everybody.”

Connelly said starting out there will be a regular menu with the prices as listed on the menu, but in the near future, specials could be introduced.

“Maybe a month or two into it we are planning on doing a ‘Dime Time’ where we will have half price wings from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and again from 9 p.m. to close, as well as all you-can-eat wings on Wednesdays.”

Connelly said they are looking to have a fun atmosphere where people can come and watch a lot of games and hang out with friends in a fun, clean atmosphere.

“We want it to be more of a restaurant theme than a night club theme,” he said. “We want to have some live entertainment, maybe a guy with an acoustic guitar, a three man band, or a DJ who would be here often. We want people to be able to come in and have a good time with attractive women.”

Many ISU students say they are in favor of the restaurant opening in Terre Haute.

Freshman health sciences major Kaleigh Cox said that despite the uniforms, it could be beneficial for the community.

“I guess it sounds good, good food,” she said. “If they have good service then I don’t really see a problem other than the uniforms.”

Its college, she said, so you have to be ready for anything and any situation. If people want to show their bodies off then they can, it might be gross but it’s a job and people need jobs, and if they are college students then they need tips, she said.

“Overall, I am okay with it because it could create more jobs in the area,” Cox said.

Senior communication major Jake Doster said he is looking forward to Show Me’s opening.

“I am a big fan of the girls and it will be a new place to try,” he said. “I think it will do well here, there isn’t anything like it around here so I am sure it will be getting plenty of business.”

Freshman communication major Auriel Armstrong, however, said she feels other businesses would be better for Terre Haute.

“I am sure there are better things that could open here, like a Target,” she said. “I think we could use other things a lot more than a Show Me’s.”

Sophomore communication major LaVon Carter said Show Me’s is a restaurant he would visit on numerous occasions.

“I would highly recommend it because Hooters is old and they don’t have the all-you-can-eat wings anymore,” he said. “I would go two or three times a month depending on what specials they have, but I would go more for the atmosphere with all the girls there.”

                  Freshman economics major Ishaan Vadhera said he thinks Show Me’s is a good idea for Terre Haute but he is also cautious about the atmosphere.

                  “I think it is an awesome idea for Terre Haute,” he said. “It will be something fun, especially when you are not 21. I just hope nothing stupid happens with the hot girls. I mean, people do stupid stuff when they are drunk.”