Big Whiskey's to open Ozark location early next year

The Springfield owners of Big Whiskey's American Bar & Grill are working toward an early 2014 opening for the concept's first Ozark location.

The ownership group, comprising Paul Sundy, Michael Heslin, Randy Gildehaus, Jamie Clark and Austin Herschend, signed a deal to lease about 3,600 square feet at the west end of the B&B theater complex on Highway 14 for undisclosed terms. B&B Theatres had expressed interest in a restaurant tenant at its Ozark complex, and the deal with Big Whiskey's came to fruition after about a year of negotiations, according to a news release.

“The idea of opening an Ozark/Nixa location has been in the works for quite a while, and the theater opening provided the perfect fit for us,” Sundy said in the release.

The owners also are developing plans to open at least two other Big Whiskey's in markets including Kansas City, Columbia and Fayetteville, Ark. Construction has yet to begin on the Ozark restaurant.

Earlier this month, Sundy sold interest in four businesses operating under three names to make way for other investment opportunities. The ownership changes included:

• Sundy and English Management partner Heslin selling their combined 40 percent interest in two Dublin's Pass locations and Vintage Nightclub to partners Gildehaus and Herschend; and
• Sundy, Trevor Crist of Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance and Adam Pyle of contractors Adam Pyle & Associates selling a downtown Parlor 88 location to general manager Brian Wendelman.