With her background as a chef and his business experience, Hoover’s Susie and Chris Tignor saw an opportunity to take a closed sports bar to a new level. In March, the Tignors bought Ford’s Sports Bar off Morgan Road and rebranded it as The Boardroom Bar and Grill. With the addition of Wayne “OT” Ellis, a seasoned chef and restaurateur in the Birmingham metro area, the trio is set to bring dishes and good eats to the area.
Susie, tell us a little bit about your background and who will be the general manager and executive chef at The Boardroom.
I trained at The Florida Culinary Institute, and have over 40 years in the hospitality industry. I worked at several high profile resorts in Florida including The Ritz Carlton Palm Beach, The Breakers, Palm Beach Polo & Country Club. I am originally from California, and worked at several top northern California restaurants before moving to Birmingham to assist with the opening of Culinard. I also have extensive experience in cost control, purchasing, restaurant and human resource management, creating fresh food concepts and popular menus.
Wayne “OT” Ellis is our executive chef and general manager. He has a comprehensive background in opening and running restaurants and sports bars such as Cosmo’s Pizza and OT’s Neighborhood Sports Bar. With a loyal customer following, OT brings an instant customer base and recognition for some of his signature dishes.
What made you and your husband decide to purchase Ford’s and transform it into The Boardroom?
Options for a sit-down, upscale, casual restaurant and bar are non-existent in that area. The majority of options are limited to fast food. There is an untapped market along Morgan Road for an eatery offering quality food and beverages to executive professionals and their families on a regular basis.
How did you come up with a name and theme?
My husband Chris and one of his close friends used to tell their spouses they had to take a board meeting when they needed some guy time away from family. One day Chris said he knew the name of the bar, and it stuck!
What type of food and drinks will you be serving?
We have a perfect blend of traditional bar food paired with contemporary entrées and salads. There will be some specialty beverages, craft beers and wine. While we have a core menu, our plan is to have a menu that changes seasonally and also create weekly specials for our guests to enjoy.
How do you hope your restaurant impacts your area and community?
The Morgan Road corridor is the back door to the western Hoover, Helena and Jefferson County communities, spanning Morgan Road and South Shades Crest. The area is ripe for a restaurant that caters to the sports bar crowd, but also to executives and their families. With only fast food options currently in the area, this gives the general public a new option for food service.
The Boardroom is located at 1205 Lake Drive SE off Morgan Road. Hours are Monday through Thursday 3-11 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 3 p.m.-12 a.m. Visit Facebook.com/boardroombarandgrill.
