Rock Bottom Foundation
 |
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | Chattanooga, Tennessee (2010) |
| Headquarters |
Chattanooga |
|
Key people
|
Dick Rivera, Chairman Srinivas Kumar CEO |
| Owner | Centerbridge Capital Partners |
|
Number of employees
|
12,000+ (2013) |
| Website | www |
Chattanooga
201 W. Main St., Ste. 301
Chattanooga, TN 37408
423.424.2000
Broomfield
8001 Arista Place - 5th Floor
Broomfield, CO 80021
CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc. is a multi-brand restaurant operator headquartered in dual offices in 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, has more than 12,000 employees, and over 70 locations serving beer brewed on-site, making it the largest operator of brewery restaurants.
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.
In 1976 the first Old Chicago taphouse opened in Boulder, Colorado. The first Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant was opened in Palo Alto, California] on July 6, 1988. The first Rock Bottom restaurant opened in Denver, Colorado in 1991. In 1993 Big River Breweries opened its first location in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Rock Bottom Restaurants, Inc., made an initial public offering in 1994. In 1995 the first ChopHouse opened in Denver, Colorado. Big River Breweries opened the only brewpub at Walt Disney World in 1996. A private management buyout took Rock Bottom Restaurants, Inc. private in 1999. In the same year, Gordon Biersch acquired by Big River Breweries. In 2000, Rock Bottom Restaurants formed the Rock Bottom Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. Rock Bottom Restaurants laid off about 20% of its corporate staff in 2007 and slowed its growth plans along with ceasing its search for an equity partner. In 2010 a merger was announced to form CraftWorks Restaurants and Breweries, Inc.
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.
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Wikipedia