Steak House Plans to Lease Shorty Small?s

Dennis Day of Memphis said he plans to open a Butcher Shop Steak House by March in the building that houses Shorty Small’s in Rogers’ Scottsdale Center.r

“We signed a letter of intent, so we’re just waiting for the blessings of the lawyers and accountants,” Day said, referring to his agreement with Dr. Todd Simmons, who owns the building.r

Day is the owner of four Butcher Shop Steak Houses — two in Memphis and one each in Little Rock and Knoxville, Tenn. — but Day said he plans to sell the Knoxville location. He also owns The Pier, a seafood restaurant in Memphis.r

Day said John Regas of Chicago will fly into Rogers in mid-December to look over the building and come up with a renovation plan. Regas is a renowned residential home designer who has designed restaurants for Day.r

“It’s ugly inside, but it won’t be [when we’re done],” Day said. “I want it to look like a really good-looking steak house with a lot of ambiance, and I want the back of it to look good when you see it from the freeway.”r

Day said the interior renovations might be extensive, but the exterior renovations will consist mainly of paint and new roofing materials.r

Although some of his restaurants have a cook-your-own-steak option, Day said the Rogers restaurant won’t. The steaks will be prepared by chefs at the restaurant.r

Day said he was lured to Northwest Arkansas by the market’s strong demographics.r

The Rogers building can seat 240 diners.r

Shorty Small’s closed its two Northwest Arkansas restaurants on Oct. 28, saying “facility costs were too high and negotiations to lower those costs broke off … forcing the closure of the properties.”r

Shorty Small’s opened a restaurant in Fayetteville 2001, and the Rogers location opened in 2002.r

The first Butcher Shop Steak House opened in Memphis in 1978. The company opened a Little Rock restaurant in 1982.r