Eddie George’s Grille 27 is opening tomorrow at the corner of Chittenden Avenue and N. High Street in the South Campus Gateway. The former Ohio State football great said he has been active in the planning with his business partners Howard Shiller and Bob McCarthy, and lends more than just his name to the restaurant. The restaurant is the second of its kind as the original opened six years ago in Nashville, Tenn., where George spent seven NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans/Oilers.

George sat down for an interview with The Lantern earlier this week at his new restaurant.

The Lantern: What is your inspiration behind starting Eddie George’s Grille 27?

EG: Well, I was affiliated with Eddie’s Grille down in Nashville, Tenn. that has been a successful bar for the last six years. (The grille) was done really quick and easy, but the success was huge. The response was great, the concept was great and it was my first business venture in that market and in general. I saw the response and I saw the success, and I thought to myself, given the right opportunity and the right project, it could be a slam dunk here in Columbus, Ohio with my following and my history here.

TL: Was this restaurant your idea or that of your business partners?

EG: My business partners Bob McCarthy and Howard (Shiller) came to me (with the idea). They were involved with the original Eddie’s down in Nashville, and they parted ways with Disney and formed their own corporation, and now we’re business partners on this venture. They saw the opportunity and the market that this could be a huge success here on the Ohio State campus, especially with this (Gateway) project going up here in the legendary part of campus that’s known for its bars and nightlife.

TL: Was the Gateway something you wanted to make sure your restaurant was a part of?

EG: Well it was intriguing because I knew about it when they were tearing everything down, but I didn’t think about having a restaurant (in Columbus) until about two years ago. We looked all over the city, and I told Bob and Howard that (the Gateway) project on campus would probably be a great opportunity given that we get a corner spot, somewhere that had high visibility and a lot of foot traffic. In the beginning, there were no spaces that offered that, but luckily we worked out a deal where (Campus Partners) gave us what we wanted and allowed us to do what we wanted to do conceptually and really make (the restaurant) right. It turned out better than I could have envisioned it.

TL: Any problems along the way?

EG: Of course there are always issues and problems. I mean a project is not a project if it were not for (problems). We had some issues at first, but we hammered through them. (The architects) are working overtime on making this happen by the right date. They’ve done an outstanding job making this place come to life. Just by looking at (this place) it looks great. But if you look at the small nuances of the place, you really appreciate the finishes of the decor in here.

TL: What kind of nuances are you referring to?

EG: Well, for instance, there are 41 plasma screen televisions here. You can sit anywhere in this place (and see a TV). Tuck yourself in the smallest corner and you can see a television. You’re always going to be entertained. There’s 27 beers on tap with the crown beer being the 27; there is a 27-ounce steak, (and) there’s 27 martinis. Everything is based on 27 (George’s football number at OSU and in the NFL). The bar is the oval shape of a football and sits on a 27-degree angle. Those are the things that you are going to pick up on, and as this thing grows out and we add some elements to it, there will be some things throughout the restaurant in a subtle manner that I have drawn inspiration (on) through my years. It’s going to tell a story. It’s going to tell about me, and it’s definitely going to resemble the things that I’ve gone through in my life (and) what I’m about. I think it’s going to be a successful project.

TL: Is this Columbus grille different from the original grille in Nashville?

EG: Totally different. Nashville was done six years ago so we had the regular TVs. It was in a hotel, and it was not as open. This is more inviting because of the doors, the high glass windows and you can see the action going on (in here) from outside, especially at night. Whereas in Nashville, you could see it and everybody knew where the destination was, but to me, it’s not the same atmosphere. It’s like comparing the Houston Astrodome with the Ohio Stadium. There is just no comparison.

TL: You were a big star as an Oiler and Titan down in Nashville and obviously here at OSU. What do you think your name will bring to this restaurant?

EG: Well that’s the thing, you know I bring the name, but I’m (also) a partner in it. I’m going to be here as much as I can and be a part of this. This is not a front where it’s just my name and I’m gone. No, I’m here, I’m putting on an apron and having fun with it. This (restaurant) is definitely me. I trust my partners whole-heartedly, and it’s been good. With that being said I’m just using my name, my following, to build on (my) brand. It’s all about branding because at the end of the day, I am a business, and I have to market and brand myself accordingly. And my fans, my fan base, will always experience with me quality, sophistication and great service. That can be through any project (I do). That can be through the landscape company that I’m an owner, or the real-estate project I’m going to do, or the restaurant you will see or anything that is affiliated with my name. You can guarantee to get the best of the best.

TL: The inspiration behind so much of your restaurant is your football number 27. What is the history behind that number?

EG: (At OSU) it was just the last number that was available that I kind of liked. I originally wanted the number six, which was my high school number, but that was taken already. So the choice was between 38 and 27. So (I chose) 27, and I said to myself, “I’m going to make this number famous,” and that’s what I tried to do.

TL: For the people that are going to come into your restaurant for the first time, what do you recommend they order?

EG: Well if you’re not a meat eater, we have a great range of salads. We have a tofu salad and a Mediterranean salad. I would recommend you try the cheese lovers macaroni and cheese pasta, which is excellent. If you’re old school, go with (the) blackened bologna sandwich or the tomato and cheese sandwich. The chili is great. So we have a broad range of food at a reasonable cost. If you’re man enough and you’re hungry enough, I’d recommend (Eddie’s) 27, the 27-ounce steak, no question.

TL: With the 27 styles of beer, martinis and other alcohol, were you involved in the selection process?

EG: Yeah. There’s the Eddie, that’s the martini. There is the VC, and I believe there’s the Archie as well. We’re creating some special names for the guys that we think the drinks go with.

TL: You’ve been out of football for a year now. Have you been involved in some other business interests?

EG: Where do I begin? Well the Edge Group is a landscape, architecture and planning firm. We have an office open in Ohio. We are a traditional landscape architecture firm. We’re doing a project over at Woody Hayes (athletic center) right now and we’re going to be doing the (Ohio) Union project on campus. Hopefully we’ll be getting more projects here in the near future. I’m doing commercial real estate, developing and stuff like that. (I’ve done some) commentating. I hosted this show on G4 (TV) this year called “Training Camp,” which is pretty good. It’s allowed me to really get out in front of the camera and get comfortable. So I’ve been doing a lot of different things.

TL: Goals for th
e future?

EG: Pushing (my) projects further (and) keeping my name out there. Not reinventing myself but putting myself in a different arena with the same passion that I brought to football. I’ll be successful at some level. The things that I’m passionate about, that’s (where) I plan on trying to create more business opportunities because that’s what being an entrepreneur is about. Understanding what your strengths are, understanding what your passions are, trying to make economic sense out of it (and) trying to create a business model based on it. That’s what I learned and figured out during my time off.

TL: Any chance we’ll get to see you back on the football field in some capacity?

EG: Man, you know what, it would have be a hell of a deal for me to move for it. I think in the near future I could go back and try to be an owner or a (general manager) or something like that. But at this point in time, you know football has been good to me. I’ve enjoyed it immensely. It’s given me this platform. I owe everything to the game. Unfortunately, you don’t have it scripted out. (If) two years from now I’ll be playing in the Super Bowl and score the winning touchdown then I’d end it then. That may happen once or twice to a couple of guys, (but) the bottom line is it’s a business. Eventually, they’re going to squeeze you out.

TL: Any involvement with the OSU football team?

EG: I’ve given a few speeches here and there. I just try to encourage guys like Troy (Smith), Michael Pittman and Ted (Ginn Jr.) to really stick together during the times right now and build on that team chemistry offensively, because they can make history. They can definitely have an explosive team next year that will shock everybody. … They are on the verge of doing something special, and I think Troy understands that it is his team. He’s going to go in (next year) as one of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy, and if it’s handled properly, he could be (OSU’s) seventh recipient. I think he has a great chance.