Chris Hair rips down temporary walls while renovating the 201 W. Main St. structure being named the Craftworks building.From local big river to global craftworks
Founded < Big River Breweries was founded in 1993 by restaurateur Tim Hennen, acquiring Gordon Biersch in 1999. Rock Bottom Restaurants was founded in 1976, merging with Gordon Biersch in November 2010 to become Craftworks.Revenues < More than $500 millionMajority owner < New York-based Centerbridge Capital Partners LP Restaurants < More than 170Staff < About 10,000HQ staff < 129Western office < Louisville, Colo.Source: Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries, Kinsey Probasco HaysTimeline1979 < Old Chicago founded in Louisville, Colo., by Frank Day1979 < Boulder Beer receives brewing license as Colorado's first microbrewery1990 < Rock Bottom Brewery founded by Day under Rock Bottom Restaurants umbrella that includes Old Chicago and other brands1993 < Big River Grille & Brewing Works opened downtown by Tim Hennen, part of an investment group that included Allen Corey, Rob Gentry and Jon Kinsey.1997 < Allen Corey becomes CEO of Big River1999 < Big River acquires Gordon Biersch restaurants, adopting Gordon Biersch name2006 < Bluewater Grille launched in downtown Chattanooga, Big River Grille & Brewing Works opened at nearby Hamilton Place2010 < Centerbridge Capital Partners buys majority of both Rock Bottom Restaurants and Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, renaming the new company Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries. Corey stays on as CEO of the combined restaurant group, with Day taking over duties as chairman of the board2011 < Craftworks moves headquarters to downtown ChattanoogaSource: Craftworks Restaurants & BreweriesSouthside warehouseBuilding Name < CraftWorks buildingLocation < 201 W. Main StreetDeveloper < Kinsey Probasco HaysOwners < Kinsey Probasco Hays, Frank Fowler, Jim Cooper and Ty CooperLender < CapitalMark Bank & TrustArchitect < Artech DesignGeneral contractor < Morgan ConstructionExisting retail tenants < Townsend Atelier and The Hot ChocolatierNew Office Tenants < CraftWorks, The Lupton Co. and Kinsey Probasco HaysSource: Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries, Kinsey Probasco HaysCraftworks brandsCraftworks operates more than a dozen restaurant brands.U.S. BrandsA1A Ale Works < 1 unitBig River Grille & Brewing Works < 4 unitsBluewater Grille < 1 unitThe ChopHouse & Brewery < 5 unitsGold Medal Tap < 1 unitGordon Biersch < 31 unitsGB Tavern < 1 unitOld Chicago < 97 units *Ragtime Tavern < 1 unitRhythm & Brews < 1 unitRock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery < 32 unitsSeven Bridges Grille & Brewery < 1 unitSing Sing < 2 unitsThe Walnut Brewery < 1 unit By the end of 2011* Includes 36 franchised locationsSource: Craftworks Restaurants & BreweriesInternational operationsGordon Biersch Taipei XinyiGordon Biersch Taipei DunbeiGordon Biersch TaichungChattanooga restaurantsBig River Grille & Brewing Works opened downtown in 1993Big River Grille & Brewing Works opened at Hamilton Place in 2006Bluewater Grille opened June 2006Source: Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries
Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries is set to move its home office to downtown Chattanooga, triple its corporate staff and begin an aggressive franchising expansion, CEO Allen Corey says.
“We’re going to grow all our brands,” the native Chattanoogan said, before rattling off a few of the 16 franchises that he’d like to expand in the next five years.
Corey has targeted Old Chicago, Gordon Biersch and Rock Bottom for immediate expansion, with others to follow.
Craftworks, which operates several high-grossing local restaurants like Big River Grille and Bluewater Grille, has grown both organically and through several acquisitions — from one eatery in an old trolley barn to more than 170 restaurants in the U.S. and overseas.