Main Avenue in Northport has seen restaurants come and go, but the addition of a Birmingham, Ala., favorite, Billy’s Sports Grill, may offer a permanent draw to business.
Originally set to open in mid-September to late October, the new opening date is estimated to be between Nov. 19 and the first week of December.
“We are totally trying to renovate the store,” Terry Humphryes, owner of Billy’s Sports Grill, said. “A lot of the maintenance going on, in particular the kitchen, and that’s why we’ve been behind. We still have some equipment, which may not be in by then. Right now it’s Nov. 19, but that’s a soft number with the way it’s going now.”
Humphryes said customers will be able to enjoy a nicely decorated restaurant with typical sports grill televisions and speakers, but with a non-overbearing atmosphere.
“Not only do you get to watch the sports things that are on TV, but the sound is engineered so that you can actually carry on a conversation,” he said.
The menu will offer a variety of foods including salads, sandwiches, and hand-cut steaks served at a low price.
Humphryes, a UA graduate, said he decided to open Billy’s Sports Grill in Tuscaloosa because of the city’s personal connection and f riendly atmosphere.
“It wasn’t so much that as it was a good opportunity for our business,” he said. “You know I went to school there and I follow all the Tide games; I follow basketball. You know if Alabama is playing then I’m going to pretty much be interested in watching it. We decided to open in Tuscaloosa mainly because of the friendliness of the people.”
Humphryes said he is happy about his decision regarding the restaurant’s location in Northport.
“The people in that Northport Village made us feel right at home before we had even started working on the store,” he said.
Not only does the restaurant have a sports bar theme, but Billy’s also focuses on a family-friendly environment. With two locations in Birmingham, Ala., the original restaurant in Mountain Brook routinely draws crowds of families.
“My dad goes there all the time in Mountain Brook and loves it,” Morgan Ballard, a freshman majoring in special education, said.
Randy Talley, freshman majoring in history, said Billy’s is a favorite of his and can’t wait for it’s grand opening.
“Tuscaloosa is a bigger town, but it operates like a small town,” Humphryes said. “It’s very easy to meet and talk with people. That was one of the few things we noticed when we started working there was the friendliness of the people.”
