Investments Blog

The highly charged debate over whether the Colorado Legislature should enact regulations surrounding the coming sale of full-strength beer by grocery and convenience stores will continue into the final day of the 2018 legislative session, as House and Senate members remain miles apart on what limits should be placed on who can sell and deliver beer and where new stores should be allowed to locate.

House members, who have been pulling off restrictions in the original Senate Bill 243 since a contentious…

Surly Brewing Co. has a new restaurant on its second level kicking out charred pizzas.

Surly Pizza Upstairs specializes in New Haven-style pies in the brightened space, which was redesigned by Minneapolis-based Shea Inc. The Surly pizza is a thin crust style, cooked in high heat with a bit of char. The crust is made with the same yeast used at the brewery to create its beers.

There's 10 different pizzas to pick from, like the “Walter White” with potato, rosemary, garlic and parmesan; or “Spicoli”…

A West Chester-based beer importer has paid the largest amount offered to settle a trade practice violation in the history of the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

Warsteiner Importers Agency Inc.’s offer to pay $900,000 to resolve the issues was accepted by the bureau, known as the TTB, April 30.

Warsteiner was accused of several violations known as “engaging in illegal tied house, commercial bribery and exclusive outlet violations committed in order to compromise a retailer’s…

Rivertowne Brewing has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Fybowin LLC, doing business as Rivertowne, filed documents Friday in bankruptcy court for liabilities between $1 million and $10 million.

The Pittsburgh-based brewer owes the most to the Pittsburgh Pirates at $271,000, as well as $103,000 for a business loan owed to S&T Bank. A debt to Huntingdon National Bank was listed as “unknown.” The company also counts utilities, back rent, Gordon Food service and music licensing companies among its…

Bandera restaurant has informed its employees that it will close its location in The UV, according to the center's landlord. The local site has been open for more than two decades.

Gary Muljat, managing director for landlord Merlone Geier Partners, attributed the closure to the business strategy of the restaurant's parent company, Beverly Hills-based Hillstone Restaurant Group.

“They have told us that the UV is not really consistent with the long-term direction that their company is going,” he…

For the first time in a long time, Baton Rouge-based Piccadilly Restaurants is preparing to open a new Memphis location. This one, though, will only have one table.

The Drunken Bean would offer “grad and go” food in addition to coffee.

Austin was shut out of this year's James Beard Awards.

The James Beard Foundation announced May 7 the 2018 winners, including Gabrielle Hamilton of Prune in New York City as Outstanding Chef and Highlands Bar & Grill of Birmingham, Alabama as Outstanding Restaurant.

From Austin, Michael Fojtasek of Olamaie and Bryce Gilmore of Barley Swine/Odd Duck were finalists in the running for Best Chef Southwest. That category was won by Alex Seidel of Mercantile Dining & Provision in Denver.

Four Austinites…

Working out of a warehouse in South Austin, Fluence makes LED lights that can be used to grow a variety of crops indoors, from lettuce to cannabis. It is now part of Osram, a German company that traces its history back to the Industrial Revolution.

Chef’d is expanding into brick-and-mortar stores and selling its meal kits at more than a dozen retailers nationwide, including Costco (NASDAQ: COST), Harris Teeter, Tops, Hy-vee, Weis and Gelson’s Markets.

Helping with the retail push is meat processor Smithfield Foods, which invested $25 million in El Segundo, California-based Chef’d last year. In the same round, the e-commerce company also raised $10 million from Campbell Soup Co. and $200,000 from online grocer Fresh Direct.

Chef’d…