BC Business
Long before craft beer was a thing, Lower Mainland entrepreneurs were building their own resto-pub empires. For your pleasure, nine chains that serve B.C. and beyond
COMPANY: Joseph Richard Group
FOUNDED: 2010
OWNER(S): André (Joseph) Bourque and Ryan (Richard) Moreno
RESTO-PUBS: 13 (including two Alberta locations)
EMPLOYEES (APPROX.): 750
VIBE: New meets old with retrofits of character rooms
JOINT WE DIG: Oceanside Yacht Club & Public House, White Rock
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): Watermelon mojito
POPULAR DISH(ES): Lettuce wraps
CELEBRITY GUESTS: Natalie Langston, Mijune Pak, Nathalie Rees
COMPANY: Donnelly Group
FOUNDED: 1999
OWNER(S): Jeff Donnelly and operating partners
RESTO-PUBS: 12 (including two Toronto locations)
EMPLOYEES (APPROX.): 500
VIBE: An English pub where everything works
JOINT WE DIG: The Blackbird Public House, Vancouver
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): Driftwood Fat Tug IPA, P.S. I Love You (house take on Pimm’s Cup)
POPULAR DISH(ES): Currywurst prepared with Two Rivers Specialty Meats sausage
CELEBRITY GUESTS: Justin Bieber, Jay-Z, Daniel Radcliffe, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Kate Upton
COMPANY: Jennings Hospitality & Culture
OWNER(S): Steve Jennings
RESTO-PUBS: 7
EMPLOYEES (APPROX.): 150
VIBE: Neighbourhood spot for music buffs, sports fans and homesick Brits
JOINT WE DIG: London Pub, Vancouver
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): East Vancouver Brewing Co.’s Unleashed Lager
POPULAR DISH(ES): Slow-roasted beef dip
CELEBRITY GUESTS: Drake, Eric Mabius, Parker Posey, Gregor Robertson
COMPANY: Cambie Malone’s corp.
FOUNDED: 1988
OWNER(S): Sam Yehia
RESTO-PUBS: 5 (including two Vancouver Island locations)
EMPLOYEES (APPROX.): 250+ (during peak season, including restaurants, hostels and liquor stores)
VIBE: Down-home and unpretentious, like Vancouver used to be
JOINT WE DIG: Cambie Bar & Grill, Vancouver
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): Local craft beer
POPULAR DISH(ES): Burger and fries
CELEBRITY GUESTS: Tom Felton, Vasek Pospisil, Patrick Warburton
COMPANY: Tap & Barrel Restaurants
FOUNDED: 2012
OWNER(S): Daniel Frankel
RESTO-PUBS: 5
EMPLOYEES (APPROX.): 700
VIBE: Waterfront lounging on a grand and intimate scale
JOINT WE DIG: Tap & Barrel, Olympic Village, Vancouver
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): Craft beer and premium wines, exclusive to B.C. products on tap
POPULAR DISH(ES): Famous fried pickles, Tap burger, pork belly and soft egg pizza
CELEBRITY GUESTS: Kelly Ripa, Justin Trudeau
COMPANY: Mahony & Sons
FOUNDED: 2006
OWNER(S): Mahony family
RESTO-PUBS: 4
EMPLOYEES (APPROX.): 300 (during peak season)
VIBE: Irish hospitality meets West Coast vistas
JOINT WE DIG: Mahony & Sons, Stamps Landing, Vancouver
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): Guinness
POPULAR DISH(ES): Mahi-mahi tacos, Irish stew, fish and chips
CELEBRITY GUESTS: “We would prefer not to say names as they come here to just have a quiet pint,” says Tina Schreiber, office and event manager at the Stamps Landing location
COMPANY: BierCraft Restaurants
FOUNDED: 2005
OWNER(S): Don Farion and Dean Mallel
RESTO-PUBS: 3
VIBE: A place where everybody knows your nameand their beer
JOINT WE DIG: BierCraft Bistro, Vancouver
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): Belgian beer
POPULAR DISH(ES): Mussels
CELEBRITY GUESTS: “It’s Vancouver,” says operations manager David Daw. “Seeing actors in one of our restaurants is not uncommon”
COMPANY: Blueprint
FOUNDED: 1997
OWNER(S): Bill Kerasiotis, Chris Kerasiotis and Alvaro Prol
EMPLOYEES (APPROX.): 500 (including nightclubs, liquor stores and event management)
VIBE: Reliable hangout with more warmth than its grey brick walls suggest
JOINT WE DIG: Colony Bar Main, Vancouver
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): Craft beer
POPULAR DISH(ES): Crispy chicken sandwich
CELEBRITY GUESTS: Ryan Reynolds
COMPANY: Samz Neighbourhood Pub
FOUNDED: 1998
OWNER(S): Aly Sunderji and family
EMPLOYEES (APPROX.): 125
VIBE: Honest watering hole gets an early start on happy hour
JOINT WE DIG: Samz Neighbourhood Pub, Port Coquitlam
POPULAR BEVERAGE(S): Draught beer
POPULAR DISH(ES): Chicken wings
CELEBRITY GUESTS: Vancouver Canucks players, Kim Coates