The Sports Nut Restaurant

8896 McClellan Blvd
Anniston, Alabama 36206
(256) 435-8175
(A few minutes South of Jacksonville, AL on Hwy. 21)

Tradegy Strikes Again

Grease fire blamed for Sports Nut blaze

By Andy Johns
Staff Writer 05-18-2008 (www.annistonstar.com)

A grease fire in the kitchen is being blamed for the blaze that heavily damaged the Sports Nut bar on Alabama 21 Saturday.

According to Mike Williams, the bar's owner, the fire began a few minutes after 5 p.m. with two employees and two customers inside the building. The cook shouted for the bartender to call 911 and all four occupants escaped without injury, he said.

He said the damage inside was extensive - the fire melted pool table lights, busted flat screen televisions and damaged memorabilia. About a quarter of the roof collapsed and Williams said most of the ceiling had fallen throughout the building.

Williams said the bar will be closed until further notice but he plans to rebuild and reopen.

Weaver and Alexandria Fire Departments responded to the blaze and the fire was under control within a half an hour of their arrival. Around 7 p.m. firefighters were still on the scene, cooling down hot spots and moving large pieces of the tin roof from the inside of the building to the outside.

When he does reopen, he will bring along his unofficial mascot, Pervis, the stuffed buffalo head mounted to one of the bar's walls.

Half of Pervis's fur was singed in a fire in January of 2001 when a blaze started at neighboring Hall Printing and Publishing and spread through the attic to the bar. Williams had to close and rebuild the bar after that fire as well.

"It's obviously something we've done before," he said.

Williams said Pervis appeared to have survived the fire.

"He's a survivor," Williams said. "He'll definitely be in the next Sports Nut."

The Ultimate Sports Bar and Restaurant!

In 1988 a man with a dream moved his young family down the road from San Diego to Anniston, Alabama.

That dream soon evolved from building a health club to the creation of the ultimate sports bar. The Sports Nut became famous for Good Sports, Good Food and Good Times, with a vibrant atmosphere complete with the trademark football field floor.

Then tragedy struck on January 5th of 2001. A ravenous blaze burned half of the bar to the ground. After a short time of grief and with much determination they began rebuilding.

It started with the battle cry, "A Half A Nut Is Better Than No Nut At All." Hard work and sweat recreated the structure that now is "The Sports Nut Restaurant," bigger, better and even more fun.