Scotty’s fishing for prime Hamilton County site

A management rift forced the abrupt closing of Scotty’s Lakehouse restaurant near Geist Reservoir, but local restaurateur Scott Wise hasn’t given up on Hamilton County.

Wise, whose company A Pots & Pans Production operates Scotty’s Brewhouse and Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co., said this week that he has been evaluating potential sites for his growing family of restaurants—including a couple of options in Fishers.

Founded in Muncie in 1996, Scotty’s Brewhouse also has two locations in Indianapolis—including one on the south side of 96th Street near Keystone Avenue—plus restaurants in Bloomington, Lafayette and Mishawaka.

The Mishawaka eatery, which opened last month, is going gangbusters so far, Wise said. Now he’s turning his attention to plans for a Fort Wayne location, which could be delayed due to a financing glitch, and is fishing for other opportunities closer to home. (Louisville is also on his short list.)

Wise said he would like to re-establish a presence on the south side of Indianapolis and in the Geist area, where upscale burger joint Scotty’s Lakehouse operated for two years under a management agreement with another restaurant owner.

It and a sister restaurant in Columbus closed late last year after a dispute between the parties, reopening under new leadership as Detour American Grille & Bar.

Since then, Wise said he has talked with the developers of Arbor Village on 116th Street at Hoosier Road in Fishers—a site high-end grocery store Whole Foods also had considered—and discussed other possibilities with town officials working on downtown redevelopment plans. He's not sure yet where the conversations will lead.

“We’re going to put all our lines in the water and see what happens,” Wise said.