It's the big Texas steak experience,'' says Harkey. The company will expand the III Forks concept, although on a less-grand scale, in the future, he adds. Cool River positions itself as a Southwestern steakhouse and grill. Forty percent of sales come from the bar. Live entertainment attracts a lively crowd, says Harkey.
Many younger customers come only for music and dancing.
In the cigar room the lighting is subdued. Boxes of imported cigars are arrayed on glass-enclosed bookshelves. Chessboards, Oriental rugs and weathered leather chairs suggest lingering in an atmosphere designed to attract a male clientele, the target customer at Cool River. The operation is complicated because it combines a bar, restaurant, lounge, and live entertainment and billiards areas. The clientele includes business travelers, professional sports players and management, and executives from nearby corporate headquarters.