HopCat

Last updated
HopCat
Company type Private
Industry Restaurant
Genre Beer Bar & Restaurant
Founded2008
FounderMark Sellers
Headquarters
Grand Rapids, Michigan [1]
Number of locations
12 (2025)
Parent Project BarFly, LLC
Website hopcat.com

HopCat is a restaurant and bar chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, with twelve locations in three states. HopCat is best known for having a variety of beers on tap, with several of their locations offering over 100 different options. [2] [3]

Contents

Founded in 2008 in Grand Rapids by Mark Sellers, the original HopCat in Grand Rapids is a brewpub with its own small brewery. As of 2025, 12 locations have been built. [4]

History

Hopcat was founded in 2008 by Mark Sellers. Five years later in 2013, it opened its second location in East Lansing, Michigan. [5]

In 2015, BarFly Ventures secured $25 million in capital financing to expand HopCat to several additional locations. [6] [7]

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

BarFly Ventures’ HopCat bought out of bankruptcy by Congruent Investment Partners and Main Street Capital [9] .

Accolades

The Grand Rapids location was recognized as one of the best brewpubs in the United States by RateBeer.com from 2013 to 2015. [10] [11] [12] In 2010, HopCat was rated No. 3 on BeerAdvocate's list of "Best Beer Bars on Planet Earth." [13]

Cultural Impact

On December 8, 2024, HopCat Detroit hosted the a look-alike contest for American football coach Dan Campbell coinciding with the Detroit Lions’ football season. [14]

In a press conference, Campbell responded to the fliers, stating that "I don't know why you'd waste your time with that," and that he would consider competing if there was a "legitimate prize". He did not appear at the contest. [15]

Four randomly selected judges scored the contestants from 1 to 10 in four categories: resemblance, style, energy and creativity. The five contestants who reached the final were then asked questions by the judges. It was won by 55-year-old machinist Jeff Randall, who received free Cosmik Fries at the restaurant for a year as well as a golden game ball.

Controversy

On December 15, 2018, Barfly Ventures CEO Mark Gray announced that Hopcat would be renaming their “Crack Fries” in order to avoid making light of crack cocaine addiction. [16] The fries were renamed "Cosmik Fries" in reference to Frank Zappa's song "Cosmik Debris". [17]

Locations

Current locations

Former locations

References

  1. ↑ Robenault, Steve Hop Cat [ usurped ]Michigan Journal. March 25, 2016
  2. ↑ Allen, Robert (December 30, 2015). "Uber: Detroit's Top 10 Nightlife Rides in 2015". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  3. ↑ White, Laurel (July 10, 2015). "'Craft Beer Chain' HopCat to Open Saturday off State Street". The Capital Times. Madison, WI. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  4. ↑ Selasky, Susan. "HopCat location at the Mall at Partridge Creek sets opening day". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  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'".[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ "BarFly Ventures' HopCat bought out of bankruptcy by Congruent Investment Partners and Main Street Capital". www.nrn.com. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  10. ↑ "top retailers by country - ratebeer best 2013". www.ratebeer.com. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  11. ↑ "The Best Beers in the World 2013". www.ratebeer.com. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  12. ↑ "top retailers by country - ratebeer best for the year 2015". www.ratebeer.com. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  13. ↑ "Magazine toasts Founders Brewer, HopCat as best in the nation". MLive.com. 20 December 2008. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  14. ↑ Pouncy, Colton (2024-12-11). "Goateed Lions fans gather for Dan Campbell look-alike contest: 'I wish I could tell him thank you'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  15. ↑ Rappleye, Liam. "Dan Campbell lookalike contest draws 22 competitors, won by a machinist from Manchester". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  16. ↑ "HopCat beer bar drops name of 'crack fries' after 11 years, prompting criticism about political correctness". Chicago Tribune. 2018-12-12. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
  17. ↑ "Cosmik Fries | HopCat". Archived from the original on 2019-04-21. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  18. ↑ Offman, Alysa (February 10, 2015). "HopCat Ann Arbor to Open on Valentine's Day". Detroit Metro Times . Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  19. ↑ "HopCat Detroit Opening to Include World-Record Tap Takeover". Detroit Free Press . August 20, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ Bondie, Cassandra (April 27, 2019). "HopCat to open its doors in downtown Holland". Holland Sentinel . Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  22. ↑ "HopCat is coming to downtown Kalamazoo". MLive.com. 31 March 2016. 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. ↑ Powers, Sara (July 14, 2023). "HopCat to open new Livonia location this month". CBS Detroit . Detroit, MI. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  26. ↑ Baetens, Melody (October 25, 2022). "HopCat returns to downtown Royal Oak this winter, now hiring". Detroit News . Detroit, MI. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  27. ↑ Hotts, Mitch (May 10, 2024). "HopCat hosts grand opening celebration at Partridge Creek Mall". Macomb Daily . Clinton Township. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  28. ↑ Baetens, Melody. "Downriver is getting a HopCat beer bar this summer". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
  29. ↑ "HopCat, Lincoln Park's Massive Craft Beer Bar, Closes | Eater Chicago". chicago.eater.com. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  30. ↑ "Kansas City | HopCat". hopcat.com. Archived from the original on 2017-01-05. Retrieved 2017-01-04.
  31. ↑ iPatton, Janet (October 22, 2015). "LexGo Eat: HopCat Opens Saturday; BrewGrass Trail Tavern Opens Monday". Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  32. ↑ "HopCat craft beer bar to open in Highlands". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  33. ↑ 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.
  34. ↑ "Craft beer galore: HopCat coming to downtown Minneapolis - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal". Archived from the original on 2017-03-07.
  35. ↑ "The Sunshine State is getting their own HopCat in late 2017 | Bites". Archived from the original on 2017-01-06. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
  36. ↑ Baetens, Melody (September 23, 2016). "HopCat in Royal Oak to open in early 2017". Detroit News . Detroit, MI. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  37. ↑ "Hopcat Permanently Closes Royal Oak Restaurant - Eater Detroit". 27 May 2020.
  38. ↑ "HopCat to open a St. Louis location - mlive.com". 26 April 2017.
  39. ↑ Hohulin, Bradley (January 18, 2024). "HopCat Broad Ripple announces it will close this month". Indianapolis Star . Retrieved August 8, 2024.
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