Simsbury Small Business Spotlight is a new weekly feature that will highlight a vital piece of the fabric of any small town—small businesses.
The following is an interview conducted with Steven Antonio, owner of Hoops N' Hops sports bar.
This week's spotlight business was recommended by Simsbury Main Street Partnership.
When did your business open? Is it locally-owned?
We opened Hoops N' Hops on April 19, 1993. It has been owned by Steven Antonio of Simsbury since that day.
What types of services/products do you offer?
We offer over 100 kinds of beer including our rotating 12 fresh draft beer lines. We also offer a full liquor and wine assortment as well as a delicious pub menu available until 12:30 AM Sunday thru Thursday and 1:30 AM on Friday & Saturday. In addition we feature almost all sporting events on our many televisions, pool tables, shuffle board, skee ball, a photo booth and other assorted amusement devices. We are also proud to feature regional live music acts on ever Friday and Saturday with no cover and the occasional Max Creek show.
Why did you decide to open your business in Simsbury?
I am a Simsbury native and though I traveled extensively in my younger years, Simsbury has always remained my home. There is no other place that I would want my business to be.
What is your mission/goal as a Simsbury business owner?
Our mission to is to be a neighborhood bar. I grew up watching the show Cheers, and I guess that is sort of our goal to treat people kindly, enjoy some fun together and also to expose local musical talent.
How did you get you start?
When I started running Antonio's Restaurant with my parents the space that is now Hoops N' Hops was a banquet room. It paid the rent, but that was about it. My local hang out at that time was The Cracker Barrel Pub. They started offering Karaoke and no offense to the people that have good singing voices, but I could not take trying to watch a ball game with someone screeching in the background through an amplifier; so I opened my own bar.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Nothing more than an invitation to come visit us. I sincerely hope you will find it as comfortable a neighborhood bar as Norm would...and Ed does.
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Business: Hoops N' Hops
Owners: Steven & Lisa Antonio
Address: 1185 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury, CT 06070
Phone number: (860) 651-HOPS (4677) - also (860) 651-3334
Hours: Open at 3:30 PM Monday thru Thursday, 2:00 on Friday and at Noon on Saturday and Sunday. We close at 1:00 AM Sunday thru Thursday and at 2:00 AM on Friday and Saturday
Website: AntoniosofSimsbury.com
