Which people don't view Tennessee as hickish? I would say that outside of Memphis, Tennessee is very much viewed as a hick state. And Branson would be the very center of hickdom.

Tennessee isn't so much "hick" as it is "hillbilly"

Tulsa has hills, too.

I'm confused, what does that have to do with Toby Keith's I love this bar and grill?

You'll notice that many, if not most threads around here start off with one topic and end on another. That's just the nature of discussions...

yes i've noticed, i've actually posted more than most people on this board, i was just reimphasizing my point in hopes that people would steer back to topic

I'm also very happy leaving Branson entertainment where it is.

We may not have the studios, venues, and marketing arms Nashville has, but we don't have to steal any talent. We have it right here in Oklahoma. I like having the Bar and Grill because it is the one permanent fixture visitors can see that reflects the talent produced in the OKC area. Most visitors probably don't know that Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, Kellie Coffey, Color Me Badd, Flaming Lips, etc are from the OKC region. Although mranderson's Bricktown Walk of Fame might help...

I'm still concerned about the long-term viability of the Bar and Grill as an attraction -- you don't know if it's five years away from being a joke (TK as a has-been) -- but it still can serve Bricktown well if the live music and food hold up.

I think it's great that he built an "I Love This Bar and Grill" in Oklahoma. He is proud to be an Okie and lets everyone know. He could have built one in Nashville but chose not to. That says a lot. Maybe in 5 years Toby's star will fade (I don't see it happening), but in 5 years people will still know him and his name.

This is a good point. Toby could have done it anywhere. I just wish he had done it in a way that built upon Bricktown's appeal instead of detracting from it. Why was building a new building in the tradition of prefab chain restaurant better than restoring a nice Bricktown property? And then he would have gotten a more rugged type venue in line with his image instead of the kind of cheesy off-strip Vegas casino look. The place then wouldn't depend on his name either, it would be cool in and of itself.

I guess it all has to do with money! Cheaper to build a pre-fab building that refurbish an old one.

Even if his star fades in the future, at least the building is versatile enough for another use. I'm sure any restaurant and music venue could move there.

Might I offer my two cents on the subject? IMHO, no restaurant in ANY location will survive if the food is not good. I saw the Channel 9 interview with Toby Keith concerning his new restaurant. It did not go well. He said something to the effect of, "Uh, we have people testing new food dishes 'n stuff."
I took his comment as a statement that he's left the menu development to a group of "consultants." That can be good, but is frequently bad. He seemed completely distanced from what was happening in the kitchen. If "any" restaurant and music venue could move there, then Toby Keith should succeed. Yet, I inferred from his interview that he was more interested in having a restaurant as a symbol of his success than in having a restaurant as a dining establishment. He need look no further than Britney Spears for an example of a disastrous celebrity endorsement of a restaurant.
In contrast to the interview of Toby Keith, I heard Al Eschbach speak very eloquently about the restaurant he was opening in Norman. I am NOT a fan of Al Eschbach. I am not even a big sports fan, even though I live in Sooner Country (Norman). However, when Al spoke about his restaurant, he seemed to know what he was talking about and seemed to have a grasp of restaurant fundamentals. Based on the interview I heard on the radio, I decided to try his restaurant in Norman. Guess what? I LIKED it! The food was good, it was served promptly, it was still hot when it arrived, and it was reasonably priced. I was VERY pleasantly surprised. Al seems to have grasped the notion that he must control the details of the restaurants he lends his name to, not just the concept of the restaurant.
There are a number of restaurants that I think are truly awful, but they are alive because they hype themselves due to a celebrity's association with them. That only goes so far. (See, for example, Barry Switzer's Chicken Ranches.)
There are lots of places which serve pub fare. If Toby Keith is going to compete with them, his consultants need to have a good menu and his kitchen needs to have its act together. I wish him luck, but I fear he has not thought it through.

Yep, but when you go cheap you usually end up with something that's, well, cheap... I'm just hoping for his sake that it really was cheap.

Isn't he partnered with one of OKC's better restraunteers?

Yes, from what I understand he has partnered with Hal Smith, of the Hal Smith restaurant group. Some sources say he is affiliated with about 35 restaurants in many states, while some sources indicated about 70. Hal Smith has been very succcessful from what I know.

Hal Smith is probably the best silent partner a celebrity restaurant owner could have. I have a suspicion that one rule of the Hal Smith Group is that the celebrity must remain "hands off" when it matters of the kitchen are involved.

My husband and I and a couple of friends went to Toby's place for dinner the night before the gig. There was a 3 hour wait to be seated, but the booths near the large bar and all the seating at the bar are fair game and are full service. So we went to the back bar, met Kenny and Natalie the greatest bartenders in the world, ordered and had our food in front of us within 20 minutes. The food was honestly some of the best I had ever eaten. My hubby and I both ordered sirloin and shrimp. It came with a choice of potato, another vegetable of your choice, a salad and basket of jalepeno cornbread and bisquits. We couldn't eat it all. The steak was cooked perfectly and the shrimp was to die for. My friend ordered the chicken fried steak. It took up the entire plate and wasn't all breading like some restaurants. We couldn't have been happier. We're looking forward to going back on August 13th when my husband's band will be back there.

Terrared, what did you think about your visit to OKC? Was it what you expected? Did you have fun and did you see the Memorial, what did you think about that?

__________________
" You've Been Thunder Struck ! "

I'd rather keep it that way.

Here's some pictures from the restaurants website http://www.ilovethisbarandgrillokc.com/index.php:

I enjoy it quite a bit.

Disclaimer: I am friends with one of the owners. He hasn't comped my meals though.

Here's my semi-objective 2 cents.

Karried:

I didn't get to see a whole lot of OKC when I was down there last month, but I did enjoy Bricktown. Friday night we enjoyed eating at Toby's and then we rode the water taxi and just walked up and down the canal. If we felt drawn to a certain place, we'd walk in and check it out. We really liked Maker's. Saturday my entire day was pretty much spent at Toby's. The band had to set up and do sound check and by that time the crowds started rolling in. I spent a lot of time on the band's bus and in the "green room" hanging out with the hubby and the rest of the guys.

My friend Kendra and I drank ENTIRELY too much at Toby's place and boy did we pay for it the next day!! Our husbands asked if we wanted to check out the bombing memorial on our way back to Tulsa and we both were in no condition to sight see!!!!!

The band is playing at Toby's again this Saturday (Aug. 13th). My hubby will be riding the band's bus down with the rest of the band so my girlfriend and I will be hiting OKC alone. We're planning on going by the memorial on our way to our hotel. We're planning on taking a supply of tissue with us, 'cause we're both the emotional types.

http://www.travelok.com/hot_deals/coupons.asp Here are a few coupons you might be able to use while you are here. A few dollars off of the Memorial Museum.

Terrared, I was wondering how you liked it. There is so much to do in Bricktown, it's hard to fit it all in.
The Memorial is so unbelievably touching. They do have tissues strategically placed. My best friend ( from California) was a wreck and I was as well. We both had seen it on CNN and all over the news but living there (in CA) and seeing it here firsthand was a really moving experience. If you can make it through the momentos area, you're home free. Give yourself a few hours to really see the whole museum. It is so worth it.

I saw the Chihuly Exhibit today, WOW is that amazing, blown glass, really gorgeous. The Art's Museum if you have some time to spare.

Let me know what you thought when you get back. Hope you have a great trip (again) ....

__________________
" You've Been Thunder Struck ! "

I have to say also, the Memorial is a very touching place to visit. Walking through the place kinda sent a chill up my spine, hard to explain. I remember the day it happend, watching it on the t.v at work that morning. Of course I did not really think as much of it as I do now, after actually being there, it was still disturbing the day it happend.

I'm sure my friend Kendra and I will be in tears before we leave there. I remember sitting in the Wal-mart parking lot at 81st/Lewis in Tulsa crying my eyes out while looking at the front page of the Tulsa World with the picture of the firefighter and the baby Bailey Almon. That picture will always be burned into my memory.

I girl I know was working six blocks away when the blast hit, she had just walked away from a plate glass window to use the rest room when the blast blew the window out.

terrared, that picture took my breath away - I'll never ever forget that picture - I can only imagine how the mother felt seeing that everywhere - a nightmare that you can't wake up from.

__________________
" You've Been Thunder Struck ! "