News: SPB Hospitality Agrees to Sell Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom

July 18, 2025

By: Danny Klein, Editorial Director

The Logan's Roadhouse owner has made a series of deals in recent years.

Multi-concept operator SPB Hospitality has agreed to sell Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom, CEO Josh Kern confirmed to FSR. Terms of the deal were not disclosed and Morgan Kingston served as advisers. The buyer was also not disclosed yet.

Kern said he’s “super proud” of the work SPB did to position the 1976-founded brand to be sold and will always “be a huge fan.” It was originally opened in Boulder, Colorado, by Frank Day and called “Old Chicago,” before being rebranded to add the “Taproom” element. There are 54 locations today, according to its website. It had more than 109 nationwide in 2017.

Old Chicago was an original member of the SPB portfolio when Fortress Investment Group purchased CraftWorks in 2020 out of bankruptcy through a $93 million credit bid, and, in time, created the SPB umbrella, which included Logan’s Roadhouse and a host of brewery concepts. SPB divested the brewery brands in December 2024, selling 16 locations across Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, ChopHouse & Brewery, Ragtime Tavern, and Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery to the Kelly Companies, a Southern California-based group that operates Fox & Hound Bar + Grill, Champps, Craft Republic Bar & Grill, Lucky Bastard Saloon, Claim Jumper Steakhouse & Bar, Whiskey River Saloon, and Kings Family Restaurant.

Earlier in 2024, SPB acquired Amada Vino + Tapas and Village Whiskey from chef Jose Garces holding group as part of its strategy to diversify and expand the portfolio with chef-driven, upscale brands that offer significant growth potential and align with evolving consumer dining preferences.

SPB now covers Logan’s, the Garces brands, J. Alexander’s, Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill—the latter two concepts it purchased for $220 million in 2021—and quick-serve Krystal, which Fortress bought out of bankruptcy in 2020 and placed under SPB in 2023. There are a couple of delivery brands as well in Ember Smoked BBQ and Leo’s Italian Kitchen.

Kern was appointed interim CEO in August 2022 and later took on the full-time role.