This building on South Glenstone Avenue will soon house Rivals sports restaurant.

Prime South Glenstone property to become sports bar

Cory Smith

Posted online December 7, 2007 | 3:55 pm

Longtime restaurateur Bruce Swisshelm Sr. is taking the lead in opening Rivals, a sports-themed restaurant, at 3662 S. Glenstone Ave., adjacent to Circuit City. His partner in the restaurant is Missouri State University football coach Terry Allen.

Plans call for a 9,000-square-foot, sports-themed restaurant and bar styled after ESPN Zone restaurants. Rivals should have a full menu and about 40 televisions, 35 games machines, an electronic scores ticker, glass-enclosed skybox mezzanine and two tree houses that will seat 10 people, according to Swisshelm.

Rivals is scheduled to open in late February.

The unique building has housed a variety of business in its 17-year history, including Bob Noble’s Greenhouse Market with giant fork and Churchill Coffee Co.

Swisshelm and attorney Ron Baird bought the building in September from Charles Walker, who operated his real estate business from the site until July 2006, when federal authorities raided Walker’s office and seized computers and documents. Walker hasn’t been charged with any crimes to date, but he closed shop and ultimately sold the building in September for an undisclosed price to Swisshelm and Baird.

Todd Chambers of Chambers Real Estate represented Charles and Linda Walker in the deal. Swisshelm and Baird represented themselves.

See SBJ’s Dec. 10 issue for more on this story.[[In-content Ad]]