CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries

CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc. is a multi-brand restaurant operator headquartered in dual offices between Chattanooga, Tennessee and Broomfield, Colorado USA. The company owns several casual dining restaurant chains, most notably Old Chicago, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants, and Rock Bottom Restaurants Breweries. CraftWorks owns and operates nearly 200 restaurant locations throughout North America and has more than 12,000 employees, and over 70 locations serving beer brewed on-site, making it the largest operator of brewery restaurants.^[1]

History

In 2010, Rock Bottom Restaurants and Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group were acquired by Centerbridge Capital Partners and merged to form CraftWorks Restaurants and Breweries, Inc.^[2]

Key dates

1976 - The first Old Chicago opens in Boulder, Colorado.
July 6, 1988 - The first Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant opens in Palo Alto, California.
1991 - The first Rock Bottom restaurant opens in Denver, Colorado.
1993 - Big River Breweries opens first location in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
1994 - Rock Bottom Restaurants, Inc., makes an initial public offering.
1995 - The first ChopHouse opens in Denver, Colorado.
1996 - Big River Breweries opens the only brewpub at Walt Disney World.
1999 - Rock Bottom Restaurants, Inc., is taken private in a management buyout.
1999 - Gordon Biersch acquired by Big River Breweries.
2000 - Rock Bottom Restaurants forms the Rock Bottom Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity.
2007 - Rock Bottom Restaurants laid off about 20% of its corporate staff and slowed its growth plans along with ceasing its search for an equity partner.
2010 - Merger announced to form CraftWorks Restaurants and Breweries, Inc.

Brands

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom

The Old Chicago in Hillsboro, Oregon

CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries operates 60 restaurants under the name Old Chicago. Franchise partnerships under its Old Chicago brand account for 36 additional locations not owned or operated by CraftWorks. Old Chicago restaurants can be found in 22 states. Old Chicago features a menu centered around its pizza, while also featuring more traditional fare, such as pastas, paninis, salads, burgers, and calzones and sharable appetizers. Each restaurant also carries a wide variety of beer, with around 30 on tap and additional selections in bottles or cans, challenging its patrons to complete its famed World Beer Tour. Beer varieties range from well-recognized national brands, regional and local craft beer and seasonal selection. Patrons can sign up for the World Beer Tour (WBT) at no cost, at which point they receive a card that tracks all of their beers consumed. Upon reaching 110 different beers, the patron gets a plaque with their name, and at most stores a personal quote, hung in their designated "home" Old Chicago location. As an added bonus, WBT members also earn points based on previous purchases that can be traded in for various things such as credit towards a bill on future visits, merchandise, or exclusive parties at Old Chicago locations. Old Chicago also offers seasonal “Mini-Tours”, that feature between eight and 12 seasonal beers. Some examples are the Oktoberfest, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Summer, and Winter Mini-Tours. As a reward for completion, patrons typically receive a themed Mini-Tour T-shirt.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants

Restaurant in Midtown Atlanta

Gordon Biersch combines German-style beer and its made-from-scratch cuisine. Featuring German lagers brewed according to the German Purity Law of 1516 (Reinheitsgebot), Gordon Biersch has won numerous gold medals at both the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. Gordon Biersch offers a made-from-scratch American menu with international flavors. The first Gordon Biersch opened in Palo Alto, California. Acquired by Big River Brewing Company in 1999 with the company later being renamed to Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Inc.. Gordon Biersch now has 35 locations in 19 states, including Hawaii, as well as 2 in Washington, D.C.^[3] Additionally, four Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants operate independently in Taiwan.^[4]

Rock Bottom Restaurant Breweries

The company operates 30 breweries under the name Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery. These breweries are located in several states, with seven restaurants in Colorado, four restaurants in both California and Illinois, two restaurants each in Washington, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Arizona and Pennsylvania and one restaurant each in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, Nebraska, and Maryland. Each of these breweries has a menu that features a selection of American-style cuisine including pizza and burgers, steaks, salads and desserts. Each region (and sometimes, each store) has its own selection of beers and beer logos. It is rare to find two beers of the same name or taste in two different stores. Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery is almost identical to the Walnut Brewery concept. In fact, when the first Rock Bottom was being constructed in downtown Denver, it was to be called Walnut Brewery. The store was being built in the bottom of (what was at the time) the Prudential building. The store was renamed Rock Bottom after someone pointed out that they were 'building at the bottom of the rock,' which was Prudential's slogan at the time.^[5] In 2009, the La Jolla location in San Diego won a medal at the Great American Beer Festival,^[6] and in 2012 they medaled at the World Beer Cup.^[7] Rock Bottom Restaurants won "Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year" award at the 2013 Great American Beer Festival (GABF).^[8]

Big River Grille & Brewing Works

Big River Grille & Brewing Works features handcrafted beer and regional cuisine. The original location in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is located in a historic trolley barn, near the Tennessee River at Ross's Landing. CraftWorks operates additional locations at the Walt Disney World Resort Boardwalk.

ChopHouse & Brewery

The ChopHouse & Brewery is a more upscale brand that has a diverse menu featuring steaks, chops and seafood. Located in Denver, Cleveland, Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado, each ChopHouse & Brewery is housed in an historic landmark building, conveying a unique character and distinction all its own.

Sing Sing Dueling Pianos

The company operates two stores under the name Sing Sing. These stores are located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Denver, Colorado. These stores feature two pianos on stage with four rotating players for continual music, allowing patrons to listen to classic rock music in a fun environment. On January 1, 2012 The Denver Sing Sing location was closed and rented out to a different company (for the same purpose).

Bluewater Grille

Bluewater Grille is a specialty concept, operating one location in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Its menu features fresh seafood from the Florida coast. It is located next to Big River Grille in downtown Chattanooga.

A1A Aleworks

A1A Aleworks is another specialty concept for CraftWorks. The menu has a self-described "New World Cuisine" flare that features a variety of Caribbean, Cuban, and Floridian influences.

Ragtime Tavern Seafood & Grill

Beginning in 1983 as a small neighborhood meeting place with only 12 tables and a single bar, Ragtime has since grown into one of Jacksonville's hottest spots. Ragtime Tavern offers three different settings for dining, gathering of friends, or drinking freshly brewed beer.

Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery

Located in Southside Jacksonville, just a short walk from the Tinsel Town movie theatres, Seven Bridges serves a wide variety of seafood, steaks, chicken, salads and pizza. The restaurant features a working brewery, bar, championship billiards and wide-screen television viewing, as well as semi-private dining areas for groups and parties. For cooler periods, it also has an outdoor heated patio.

Walnut Brewery

Located in Boulder, Colorado. Walnut Brewery was opened in 1990 as Boulder's Original Brewpub. Its menu and decor are almost identical to the Rock Bottom Concept. Walnut Brewery is named for the street on which it is located.

CraftWorks Foundation

The CraftWorks Foundation is the charitable arm of CraftWorks Restaurants and is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. Dedicated to combating hunger in the communities in which they live and operate restaurants, the foundation provides support through the parent company restaurants to organizations and programs addressing this social issue.

See also

• Applebee's
• Brinker International (operator of Chili's)
• Darden Restaurants (operator of Olive Garden)
• OSI Restaurant Partners (operator of Outback Steakhouse)

References

External links

• CraftWorks Corporate Website
• RockBottom Restaurants Inc.
• Walnut Brewery Concept
• Rock Bottom Brewery Concept
• Old Chicago Concept
• Sing Sing Concept
• ChopHouse Brewery Concept
• The Rock Bottom Foundation