PUBLISHED ARTICLES

Profit Center Prowess: Mucci’s Italian in St. Paul has a true modern-day restaurant business plan for sustainability

I had difficulty finding Mucci’s the first time. There is no signage on the building, only something small in the window stating its name and the hours. I had already read a number of…

Funding Finder: Money doesn’t fall from the sky, so how does restaurant financing get done?

In the 18 months I’ve written this column, I’ve reviewed approximately 15 new restaurants, so I thought it would be a good time to reflect back and discuss how they found the money to…

Traditional Food Courts to be Traditional No More

Probably the best known nontraditional restaurant sites—and maybe, in some ways, they are traditional—are food courts. In my quest to get a handle on them, I have come to the conclusion I’m not sure…

Old World Gem: The Commodore’s dining room caters to the country club set, while the swingers hang in the bar

When you walk in the Commodore Bar and Restaurant in St. Paul you immediately look around to see if F. Scott and Zelda are sitting at their usual corner table in the bar sipping…

Making the Grade with Non-Traditional Restaurant Sites: Airports, Colleges and Pop-ups/Kiosks

There has been a great deal written about nontraditional restaurant sites (NTS), but not about their economic viability. While traditional restaurant sites are defined as stand-alone, inline or first floors of hotels and office…

Legal and Financial Thoughts for The Top 200

As you can see from the Monitor’s annual Top 200 ranking of the largest franchisees, a significant share are multi-concept operators. Multiple concepts seem to be the trend and a way for the large…

Two Years in Craft Brewing Business: Interview with Blake Verdon of LTD Brewing Co.

Just over two years ago, Blake Verdon and Jeremy Hale left their corporate jobs to pursue the dream of starting their own brewery and taproom. On June 4, 2014, their efforts came to fruition…

Third Year’s a Charm: Nontraditional Kyatchi Mixes Japanese Cuisine and Hot Dogs in Near-Perfect Harmony

There’s more than one reason hot dogs are on the menu at a Japanese sushi restaurant on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. One, they’re a welcome item on the kids’ menu; two, Chef Hide Tozawa,…

Early Stage Restaurant Investing

A good friend of mine invests in early stage restaurant companies and new concepts. The first thing he asks is, “What are my dining privileges?” and “How many gift cards do I get?” It’s…

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