This restaurant serves better living through tacos, crack fries, the angry bird, veggie chili, reuben kincaid, supper club wrap, and muffin top. In September, BarFly secured $25 million in mezzanine financing from two Texas companies, Congruent Investment Partners and Main Street Capital Corp., to expand the HopCat concept to new markets with a target of six new locations per year for the next six years, Sellers said at the time. HopCat is a restaurant located in Grand Rapids, Michigan at 25 Ionia Avenue Southwest.
13 in the renovated space of the former McFadden’s Restaurant. In Grand Rapids, the company also operates Grand Rapids Brewing Co., Stella’s Lounge and The Waldron Public House, which opens Feb. However, brewpubs can only sell house-made beers on premise, which led BarFly to look for a brewery partner to make the beer for distribution.įounded by owner Mark Sellers in 2008, BarFly has expanded the HopCat concept in recent years, with nine locations in five states. “HopCat already has a name in Michigan, so that helps with the marketing of that brand,” Kocak said.īrewers at HopCat’s Grand Rapids location, which is licensed as a brewpub, created the beer and served various iterations of it at the pub over the last year, Knape said.
Kocak added that HopCat’s statewide name recognition - with locations in Grand Rapids, East Lansing, Ann Arbor and Detroit - should go a long way toward making the beer desirable for bars, restaurants and retailers, despite the numerous existing options. Once ready, HopCat plans to distribute the beer statewide through Kalamazoo-based Imperial Beverage, with which Brew Detroit has an established relationship, Knape said.įrom Brew Detroit’s perspective, the deal allows the contract brewer to make use of underutilized capacity, said CEO Jerry Kocak. “We are going to make it about the beer and we hope that other bars (and restaurants or retailers) want to try it.” This is just our way of dipping our toe in the water.”īarFly continues to work with the brewery ahead of a production and distribution launch “in the next few months,” Knape said. “We want to stand out in what’s a really crowded market. We’re optimistic, but we’re trying to be very respectful of the beer,” said Chris Knape, BarFly’s vice president of marketing and communications. In entering an increasingly crowded market for craft beer and IPAs in particular, BarFly executives say the company wants to tread carefully and focus on creating a beer that stands up to the competition. HopCat was envisioned, designed, stocked and staffed with one mission in mind: to bring you great beer. Beer Advocate rated them the 3rd best beer bar in the world. HopCat is just one of the best places in the city, hands down. Lucie, Florida, on March 31.GRAND RAPIDS - Bar and restaurant operator BarFly Ventures LLC of Grand Rapids has partnered with a contract brewery in Detroit to market and distribute HopCat-branded beer, MiBiz has learned.īrew Detroit LLC will produce HopCat’s Beer Right Meow American India Pale Ale in kegs and 12- and 22-ounce packages for statewide distribution to retailers and bars and restaurants. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 Map This 616.451.4677. This will be HopCat’s 17th overall location, and the company is set to open a location on Port St. The restaurant will accommodate 250 people with enough outdoor setting for 70 people, according to the company. We also like that it’s close to its own set of entertainment attractions such as Meijer Gardens and Celebration Cinema.” “The Knapp’s Corner area is perfect for our next venture in Grand Rapids, allowing us to serve people who love craft beer and HopCat’s food and vibe but might not make it downtown very often. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the 10th birthday of the original HopCat than opening a new restaurant in our hometown,” said HopCat CEO Mark Gray in a release. This fall the doors will open to at the new location located off the East Beltline at Knapp’s Corner.
Customers won’t have to go downtown Grand Rapids soon to enjoy famous crack fries at HopCat as BarFly Ventures announces they are opening a second Grand Rapids location.