HopCat

HopCat is a restaurant and bar chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, with seventeen locations in eight states. HopCat is best known for having a wide array of beers on tap, with several of their locations offering over 100 different options.[3][4]

HopCat
TypePrivate
IndustryRestaurant
GenreGastropub
Founded2008
Headquarters
Grand Rapids, Michigan[1]
Number of locations
9 (2020)
ParentBarFly Ventures, LLC[2]
Websitehopcat.com

Founded in 2008 in Grand Rapids by Mark Sellers, the original HopCat in Grand Rapids is a brewpub with its own small brewery, which typically supplies 4-6 house-made beers alongside craft beers from around the country. HopCat opened its second location in East Lansing, Michigan in 2013.[5]

In 2015, BarFly Ventures secured $25 million in capital financing to support its effort to expand HopCat, which will open as many as 30 locations over the next several years.[6][7]

On June 6, 2020, BarFly Ventures filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Grand Rapids, MI.[8]

Accolades

The Grand Rapids location was recognized as one of the best brewpubs in the United States by RateBeer.com from 2013 to 2015.[9][10][11] In 2010, HopCat was rated No. 3 on BeerAdvocate's list of "Best Beer Bars on Planet Earth."[12]

Controversy

On December 15, 2018, Barfly Ventures CEO Mark Gray announced that Hopcat would be renaming its famous “Crack Fries” in order to avoid making light of the drug the name refers to as well as addiction to said drug.[13] The fries were renamed "Cosmik Fries" in reference to Frank Zappa's song "Cosmik Debris".[14]

Locations

References
  1. Robenault, Steve Hop Cat Michigan Journal. March 25, 2016
  2. "HopCat Detroit Opening to Include World-Record Tap Takeover". Detroit Free Press. August 20, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  3. Allen, Robert (December 30, 2015). "Uber: Detroit's Top 10 Nightlife Rides in 2015". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  4. White, Laurel (July 10, 2015). "'Craft Beer Chain' HopCat to Open Saturday off State Street". The Capital Times. Madison, WI. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  5. Ellison, Garret (January 8, 2013). "Five Years and $13.5 Million in Sales Later, HopCat Has Become a 'Well Respected' Grand Rapids Brand". MLive. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  6. Walsh, Dustin (September 2, 2015). "HopCat Owners Secure $25 Million to Fund Expansion". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  7. Sidorowicz, Josh (September 2015). "'It's a Big Deal,' 30 New HopCat Bars to Open up Across Midwest". Grand Rapids, MI: WXMI-TV. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  8. "'HopCat restaurant parent company files for bankruptcy protection'".
  9. "top retailers by country - ratebeer best 2013". www.ratebeer.com. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  10. "The Best Beers in the World 2013". www.ratebeer.com. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  11. "top retailers by country - ratebeer best for the year 2015". www.ratebeer.com. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  12. "Magazine toasts Founders Brewer, HopCat as best in the nation". MLive.com. 20 December 2008. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  13. "A word about our fries | HopCat". Archived from the original on 2018-12-17.
  14. "Cosmik Fries | HopCat".
  15. Offman, Alysa (February 10, 2015). "HopCat Ann Arbor to Open on Valentine's Day". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  16. Howell, Brandon (August 8, 2013). "HopCat East Lansing to Open with Attempted World-Record Tap Takeover of 100 Short's Beers". MLive. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  17. Bondie, Cassandra (April 27, 2019). "HopCat to open its doors in downtown Holland". Holland Sentinel. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  18. Benbow, Dana (June 12, 2014). "130 Hoosier Beers on Tap for HopCat Opening". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  19. "HopCat is coming to downtown Kalamazoo". MLive.com. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  20. "Kansas City | HopCat". hopcat.com. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  21. Patton, Janet (October 22, 2015). "LexGo Eat: HopCat Opens Saturday; BrewGrass Trail Tavern Opens Monday". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  22. "HopCat craft beer bar to open in Highlands". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  23. Olberding, Matt (October 29, 2015). "Chain Restaurant, Craft Beer Bar Coming to Haymarket". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  24. "Lincoln | HopCat". hopcat.com. Retrieved 2016-03-16.
  25. Derby, Samara Kalk (July 2, 2015). "Restaurant News: HopCat Giving Away Fries to Those who Take First Crack". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, WI. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  26. "Craft beer galore: HopCat coming to downtown Minneapolis - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal". Archived from the original on 2017-03-07.
  27. "The Sunshine State is getting their own HopCat in late 2017 | Bites".
  28. Baetens, Melody (September 23, 2016). "HopCat in Royal Oak to open in early 2017". Detroit News. Detroit, MI. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  29. "Hopcat Permanently Closes Royal Oak Restaurant - Eater Detroit". 27 May 2020.
  30. "HopCat to open a St. Louis location - mlive.com". 26 April 2017.
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