Three Rosies, One Story: Why Jimmy’s Strip District Became Rosie’s on Mars

Did you know there are three Rosies behind the new name Rosie’s on Mars?

Unless you were born sometime between the 1950s and early 1970s, you’ll probably have to Google two of them—or ask your parents or grandparents.

One Rosie helped build America during World War II.

Another cleaned George Jetson’s futuristic home every morning on Saturday cartoons.

The third sleeps on the couch.

Those three very different Rosies became the inspiration behind the restaurant’s new identity as owner Cecilia Ottenweller renamed Jimmy’s Strip District Grill to Rosie’s on Mars. Joining her in celebrating the milestone was her husband, Scott Briercheck, who helps out on weekends while continuing his career in healthcare technology during the week.

The event drew Mars Area football players, cheerleaders, township supervisors, Butler County Chamber of Commerce members and local residents for a ribbon-cutting marking one year since the couple purchased the longtime restaurant.

“We were asked constantly, ‘When are you going to change the name?'” Ottenweller said. “People kept saying, ‘You’ve made it your own.'”

After waiting a year to earn the community’s trust, they decided the timing finally felt right.

The first Rosie honors Rosie the Riveter, the iconic symbol of women who entered the workforce during World War II. Ottenweller said that reference seemed fitting for what is primarily a woman-owned business.

The second comes from Rosie the Robot, the faithful housekeeper from The Jetsons. Keeping the restaurant’s connection to Mars and space made the futuristic cartoon character a natural fit.

The final Rosie is perhaps the most personal.

It’s the couple’s miniature dachshund.

“We tied all three together,” Ottenweller said, explaining that each represented a different part of their family’s story.

The new name may be different, but much of what has made the restaurant successful remains the same.

Over the past year, Ottenweller said the business has doubled its staff while steadily building a loyal customer base. Some diners stop in weekly, while others have rediscovered the restaurant after years away.

“I think the folks in this town are super loyal,” she said. “They really want to see you succeed. They were really worried that this place was going to close.”

The restaurant has also become a true family business.

Their son Jacob works as one of the restaurant’s cooks, another son, Zach, helps when needed, and son Alex—a graphic design graduate—created the new Rosie’s logo and menu designs.

“It’s definitely a family venture,” Ottenweller said.

Ottenweller’s husband, Scott Briercheck, who works in healthcare technology during the week, had never worked in the restaurant industry before the couple purchased the business. He said one of the most rewarding parts has been getting to know customers.

“I just like talking to people,” he said. “I make sure everybody’s taken care of and enjoying themselves.”

Asked whether the restaurant had developed a bit of a Cheers atmosphere, Ottenweller didn’t hesitate.

“I think so,” she said. “People finish breakfast, then they see somebody they know across the room, grab another cup of coffee and go sit with them. It’s exactly what we wanted when we set out to do this a year ago.”

As the interview wrapped up, one final question lingered.

Since one of the Rosies came from The Jetsons, I jokingly asked Scott if people might start calling him George, after George Jetson.

He laughed.

“My real name actually is George,” he said.

Like many children born in the late 1960s, he explained, his parents gave him a first name they rarely used. He has always gone by his middle name—Scott.

Sometimes the best stories are the ones you never see coming.