Hideout puts couple in public spotlight

Ashley Mannis was working as a bail bondsman, and her husband Scott was a sales account manager for AIRGAS Midsouth. But they decided they wanted to do something different.

So when Scott was making his rounds in Gillett and found that the old East Wing club and Brewsky’s were for sale, the Mannises knew this was the opportunity for which they had been looking. Although they had little previous experience in the bar and restaurant business, “this is a business, we always wanted to get into,” Ashley Mannis said. The result is a new club in Gillett, the Hideout.

The Hideout has been open for about two weeks, and it took a lot of work to get it ready, Mannis said. The building had originally been divided into two businesses: the East Wing was a private club that served liquor and Brewsky’s was a beer joint.

The first thing the Mannises did was to knock down the wall separating the two sides of the club. They took out the carpet, repaired the walls, ceilings and roof, installed new kitchen equipment, built a stage and “did a lot of painting.”

The Mannises also had a lot of help. “There are a lot of family and friends we have to thank,” Mannis said.

There’s still work to be done, but Mannis said they needed to get the place ready to open by the Coon Supper Jan. 11. “We said, let’s just get it cleaned up real good,” she said.

The move paid off. Over 200 people came in that first night.

The next big event is a Super Bowl party Feb. 3. “We’re putting on the finishing touches ” for the party, Mannis said. This includes opening the kitchen and bringing in a big screen TV.

Once the kitchen is up and running, the menu will include classic bar food such as hamburgers and hot wings, as well as steaks, potatoes and salads. Mannis said her goal is “to be known for my steaks,” In her family, Mannis is the one who does the grilling and, “I’m very picky.”

The Hideout will also be the place to come for live music.

“We plan on having a band every weekend, at least one night,” Mannis said. The music will be mostly country and Southern rock, but it really depends on the band.” The first band, Live Wire, “had an incredible response,” she said, and Jamestown Flood, a band with local roots, is scheduled for Feb. 2 and March 1.

Mannis said running a club is brand new to her and Scott. “We just jumped in, learning as we go,” she said. In the club business, “everything has to be done just right.”

The Mannises attended mandatory ABC seminars to learn all the nuances of state liquor laws. Mannis emphasized that since the Hideout is a private club, only members and guests can be admitted and “no one under 21 is allowed inside.” Annual memberships are $5.

Mannis said she and Scott sought the support of the community “before we ever signed anything.” Scott Mannis went to the Gillett City Council to discuss their plans for the business, and “so far we’ve had a really good response. Hopefully this will help bring more business to Gillett.”

One way the Mannises are trying to help the community is by ensuring that all their customers are of legal age.

“We have already experienced minors trying to enter since we opened on 1-11-08. Also, we have had a couple of minors present us with near undetectable fake I.D’s. We want to assure parents and the community that we will not tolerate any underage drinking at our business,” Ashley Mannis said.

“As a parent, I would not want my children allowed into an establishment to drink. So, in an effort to help fight against the growing problem of underage drinking, we will be purchasing an age verification system.

“Although the equipment and service is expensive, we believe there is absolutely no price you can put on this kind of prevention. We would also like to encourage other businesses that sell alcohol to consider an age verification system. Anyone is welcome to call us at (870) 548-2100 for more information on where to purchase the equipment.”

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