National sports bar restaurant with huge following opening Sarasota location next week
While Hooters throws 40th anniversary events this week, celebrating four decades since the opening of its original restaurant in Clearwater, one of its many "breastaurant" followers prepares to open its first Tampa Bay location right here in Sarasota.
Billed as the "ultimate sports lodge" and famous for its "scantily-clad female wait staff," Twin Peaks is poised to open its doors in the new Fruitville Commons development by Interstate 75 and Fruitville Road, which is located about seven miles east of downtown Sarasota. The Texas-based chain had announced hiring plans for their Sarasota location in August, with the opening initially scheduled for September.
On Wednesday, Oct. 4, a spokesperson from Twin Peaks informed the Herald-Tribune that their location at 3060 Fruitville Commons Blvd. will open on Monday, Oct. 9.
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Twin Peaks Sarasota opening Oct. 9 will be the brand’s first in greater Tampa Bay region and 12th location in Florida
Twin Peaks Sarasota will be the brand’s 12th location in Florida and 106th overall. The company said in a press release that the new restaurant is "20 minutes away from Sarasota Bay and just down the road from Tatum Ridge Golf Links."
“It’s almost impossible to improve the view in Florida, but we’re about to do it again with our newest location,” said Twin Peaks CEO Joe Hummel in a statement. “We can’t wait to provide the Sarasota community with a place where they can grab a cold, 29-degree beer after playing 18 holes in the warm sun or enjoying a day at the beach.”
In preparation for its grand opening, Twin Peaks announced it was hiring more than 200 team members for various positions, including Twin Peaks Girls, bartenders, managers and "heart-of-house." To apply, people were asked to text “WORK4TP” to 85000 to begin the process or stop by the restaurant at 3060 Fruitville Commons Blvd. in person Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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Twin Peaks Sarasota will also feature an outdoor dining area with a bar and patio including a fire pit
In addition to its ice-cold draft beers, Twin Peaks promotes made-from-scratch food menu items including burgers, wings and barbecue all served by its Twin Peaks Girls in a mountain cabin setting. The restaurant also noted its focus on local sports teams and area brews.
"With Florida having a multitude of professional and college sports teams, the Sarasota location is equipped with more than 65 TVs situated at every possible angle," a spokesperson for Twin Peaks said via email. "Twin Peaks’ bar is well stocked with 32 different draft beers — including both national and hometown favorites. Every fan is sure to find the ultimate vantage point to watch the USF Bulls, Buccaneers, Rays, and Lightning score their latest victory."
Twin Peaks was founded in 2005 in the Dallas suburb of Lewisville. Its primary competitor, Hooters, made its debut in Tampa Bay with the opening of the Original Hooters on Oct. 4, 1983 in Clearwater. Hooters also maintains restaurants in Sarasota, Bradenton and Port Charlotte in addition to hundreds of locations and franchises around the world. The term "breastaurant" appears to have emerged during the 1990s, along with the rising popularity of Hooters and its many imitators.
Twin Peaks will follow other local high-profile restaurant openings including Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Lakewood Ranch's Center Point development as well as Nancy's Bar-B-Q, Palm Avenue Deli and Beso in downtown Sarasota; Osteria 500 in Lakewood Ranch's Waterside Place; and Fat Point Brewing at University Town Center. The UTC shopping district also recently welcomed another popular national sports bar chain, Yard House, which opened its first Sarasota area location earlier this year.
Twin Peaks is at 3060 Fruitville Commons Blvd., Sarasota. For more information, call 941-867-3766 or visit twinpeaksrestaurant.com.
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Wade Tatangelo is Ticket Editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, and Florida Regional Dining and Entertainment Editor for the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. He can be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Popular sports bar restaurant Twin Peaks opens Sarasota location
