Truth be known, Cory Schaefer just happened across what might be the ideal name for his Columbus sports bar.
And it’s probably not what you think.
The Big 10 Sports Bar & Grill has nothing to do with the nationally known athletic conference — or even the Huskers who compete in that conference.
It’s an homage to Platte County, where Columbus is located — Nebraska’s No. 10 county in its license plate identification system.
The Big 10, coincidence or not, has taken off in Columbus after Schaefer and his wife, Stacey, returned to their hometown in 2020 after years of owning Playmakers Bar & Grill, the volleyball venue in southwest Lincoln.
“It’s worked for us,†Schaefer said. “It’s the atmosphere and the menu. The food is not typical bar food.â€
And it’s a concept that can work just about anywhere, he said.
Jeremy Medved, along with his wife, Jessica, and father, Lance, are buying into what the Schaefers are selling by bringing the concept to Lincoln.
The plan is for Big 10 Sports Bar & Grill LNK, located in southeast Lincoln at 8500 Andermatt Drive, to open its doors in August and to be completely up to speed by the start of football season.
“We want to distinguish ourselves. We’re proud to live in Lincoln,†Jeremy Medved said. “I’ve lived here a lot of my life, and we’re proud to be a part of this community.â€
Medved and his father had plans of opening a sports bar in southeast Lincoln in 2020, but the pandemic shot them down.
The plans were pushed off until 2022, but finding the right location proved to be a challenge. That problem was solved early this year when they purchased a former Backyard Burgers location near 84th Street and Nebraska Parkway that fills the need.
The family is currently renovating the building. They’re expanding the kitchen and adding a 24-foot-long bar. It won’t be as big as Schaefer’s Columbus location, but there are some added amenities, Medved said.
One of them is a drive-thru window that will allow customers to quickly pick up their food. For the first month, pickup orders will be limited to pizza, but those options will be expanded as the staff gets up to speed.
“We want to make sure we are getting things out of the kitchen in a timely manner,†he said. “We don’t want to overload the kitchen. We want to get into a groove before we open up with the full menu at what we hope is the start of the football season.â€
Medved said southeast Lincoln is growing quickly and, as a result, is underserved.
“We need more places in southeast Lincoln,†said Medved, who has children and serves on the PTO board at Wysong Elementary School, which is near 56th Street and Yankee Hill Road. “The area is growing and we want to support the schools in that part of Lincoln.â€
Medved, a business manager at U.S. Foods, will remain at that job, while his wife and father run the restaurant. They also will hire a kitchen manager and an assistant general manager.
Hiring will begin after the Fourth of July holiday, which could be a challenge, he said. Training the staff will immediately follow.
“At the end of the day. We plan to have a really good culture,†he said. “We want a culture that feels like a team. We want everyone pulling their weight, running the play.
“That’s going to be said a lot. Run the play. If we do that, we will succeed and everyone will do well.â€
Jeremy Medved and his wife, Jessica, are opening Big 10 Sports Bar & Grill in the former Backyard Burgers location near 84th Street and Nebraska Parkway.