By Mark Ambrogi
Amy Wentland is helping her husband Steve’s wish become a reality.
“It’s always been a dream of his,” Amy said. “We’ve been together for nearly six years and the entire time I’ve known him that’s all he ever talked about is owning and running a bar. He was in construction for his whole life before that. He finally decided it was time to move forward and start pursuing something that he was interested in.”
Steve said the timing was right since the construction company he was working for was sold to a competitor.
“I think most guys in the back of their heads have thought about owning a bar,” he said. “The opportunity was there for the one on 96th Street, I figured if it was ever going to be it was right then.”
While Steve, 42, had no restaurant experience, Amy, 37, had worked in a catering business and had worked as a bartender in a restaurant.
The Wentlands, who live in Fishers, purchased the Main Event at 8932 E. 96th St., in September of 2014 and kept the same name.
Shifting Focus
In an effort to expand the business, the Wentlands bought Main Event on Geist, 10462 Olio Rd., in April. The previous restaurant in that spot was Bubbaz Bar and Grill.
“Steve’s plan was always to open another one but not as quickly as this presented itself to us,” Amy said. “At the time, it just felt if we passed it up, it would be a lot longer before we could buy a place like this so we grabbed it while we could.”
When they took over the restaurant, the Wentlands wanted to make their Geist location a more family friendly establishment. They knocked down a wall to make the family section bigger.
Amy said they liked that the Geist location, which is on the edge of Fishers and Fortville, catered more towards families.
“You would think there would be a down side to have two restaurants so close but the two are so different because of the clientele that they serve,” Amy said. “The Main Event on 96th Street is not family friendly. It’s still a smoking establishment (for ages 21 and over). It’s a loud music atmosphere. (The Geist) one is a lot more relaxed.”
Steve said the Geist Main Event needed to be family friendly.
“It’s surrounded by houses and there is more of that clientele out there versus where the 96th Street (restaurant) is,” Steve said.
Both restaurants have more than 30 TVs, but the Geist location also features an arcade section with a variety of games for kids to play.
Good team
Steve and Amy have been married a little more than one year.
“It’s been easy for us to work together because we each have certain experiences in things,” Amy said. “There are things he knows how to do right away and there are things I know how to do right away. We feed off which one of us is going to be the strongest at whatever task.”
Amy quit her full-time catering job as an event planner when they opened the second Main Event.
“My strength is I’m a people person and custom service,” Steve said. “Every business I’ve been in is custom service-based business. Owning a bar is the majority of dealing with the public and customers.”
Meet the Wentlands
Personal: Have six children combined together, including four living at home.
Steve’s top way to relax: “Spend time with the family.”
Amy’s top way to relax: “If we get time we like to sleep in for a couple of hours, it’s always a good thing. We have a boat on Lake Monroe. We didn’t get to spend much time there this summer, but if we get away for a few days, we head there. Relax on the boat and let the kids play in the water.”
Favorite place to go: “We’re big sushi fans so when we go out we like to get that,” Amy said. “When we get some time together we like to go to other bars to scout for other musical talent we might have at 96th Street or (Geist).”
Main Event on Geist
10462 Olio Rd., Fishers
Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 3 a.m., Friday and Saturday. Facebook page is under Main Event on Geist.
