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Harry's Sports Bar & Grill is scoring points with locals

Avid sports fan Scott Little always wanted to own and operate a sports bar. Last summer the Fallbrook resident achieved his dream when he opened Harry's Sports Bar & Grill at 125 South Main Avenue.

Little, whose successful career with Monterey Financial Services afforded him the luxury of retiring in October 2014 at age 47, found out relatively quickly that retirement life at an early age wasn't the life for him.

"I traveled around a lot for a year to a year-and-a-half," said Little. "After that you get a little bored because everybody you know is working."

Little spotted an opportunity to get back into the working game when the sports bar Old 395 closed and went up for sale. Little bought the business and soon found that Old 395 had been properly named as the establishment featured many old things, including old bathrooms, an old paint job and an old kitchen featuring grease traps that were emitting an unpleasant odor.

"I bought the business July 31 (2017) and thought we'd fix it on the fly but it was in such bad shape that we shut it down," said Little, who employed locals in the construction business to help with a renovation. "Amazingly in 25 days we were able to do a lot of cleaning, paint, add TVs, redo the bathrooms and the kitchen, put in three new air conditioning units and a whole new beer system. We did quite a bit."

Harry's opened Aug. 25, 2017 – just in time for football season, a sports bar's best friend – with a clean and a true sports-themed look, with 16 televisions and artwork of famous athletes (both human and equine) adorning freshly-painted walls.

"It's been awesome," said Little of his fellow Fallbrookians' response to Harry's. "Originally and still a little bit today there are people who are a little bit reluctant to come because of what the past history was. But once people started coming in, they were able to convince (other) people, 'hey, you've got to try it, it's completely different.' The community has been awesome."

Little has a solid history in the restaurant business as he owned a pair of pizza places in the 1990s and still owns a quarter of the popular Vista Village Pub on Main Street in Vista. He decided to open Harry's on his own.

"I decided rather than have partners I'd start something on my own," said Little. "That way if I fall on my face I can only blame me, and the other way, if it works out well, then it's mine too."

Little is thoroughly invested in Harry's as his attendance record at the business attests.

"From July 31 (2017) until today (March 21, 2018) I've missed one day because I was sick," said Little, who added that he is usually at Harry's from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and from 6:30 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. on weekends, when breakfast is offered.

The personable Little can usually be found camped out at the west end of the long bar, sharing conversation and laughter with patrons. He said he enjoys going to work each day.

"I like being around it," said Little. "It's a good time and the people that come in are a lot of fun, and I think that shows as our business continues to grow."

Little has extra incentive to have Harry's succeed because nobody would want to have a business named after their father fail. Little was in the process of buying the bar and grill when his father, Harry, succumbed to cancer.

"We got in here and we started throwing around names and it was my girlfriend, Gina Frame, who said, 'name it after your dad,'" said Little, who has been with Frame for more than 15 years.

Little was asked how he thought his father would feel about having a bar named after him.

"I don't know," said Little with a laugh. "If he were around – just because he wasn't an ego guy at all – he probably would have said, 'nah, don't name it that, name it something else.' But now, I think he'd be real proud."

Little was then asked if Harry Little would hang out at a place like Harry's.

"Absolutely, absolutely he would," shot back Scott Little. "My mom (Ja'Nice Little) lives in the Napa area and has been down a few times. She loves coming down."

Harry's menu features a variety of options, from small bites to delicious burgers that are accompanied by a mountain of crispy fries.

"It's your traditional sports bar kind of food – burgers, sandwiches, salads, lots of appetizers, potato skins, sliders, nachos and that kind of stuff," said Little. "And we throw in some different things from time to time."

Harry's, which offered corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, sticks to the basics and delivers quality, tasty food. This writer heartily recommends the club sandwich and advises that you pay a little extra and get the excellent truffle fries.

"Like I tell everyone, we're never going to be a five-star restaurant with a bunch of TVs, we're a sports bar that has good food," said Little.

Since Harry's is a bar and grill, families are welcome for lunch and dinner, as well as breakfast on weekends.

"I didn't want it to be only a 21 and over bar," said Little. "I wanted it to be a place where during the day and evening people could bring their families in and enjoy themselves."

Harry's presents a Happy Hour – offering a discount on drinks and appetizers – every day from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. as well as two-for-one burgers (dine in only) on Tuesday nights and half-priced appetizers Thursday evenings during Happy Hour.

Little invites everyone to check out Harry's during their next trip downtown.

"Come on by and enjoy a good time with us," said Little. "When you do, I'm pretty sure you're going to come back."

 

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