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Apologizing, he explains that his scheduld got thrown off when he bumpedx into Steve Carlton at the Wynkoop Brewpub the night beforeand didn't get home untiol late as a result. "I mean the guy won 329 he's the winningest left-hander ever," Hickenloopetr says of the retired MajorLeaguwe pitcher. "He was my hero growintg up in Philadelphia." Like much of his prolific just how the president and founder of the became friends with Carlton is rooted in the namesakw brewpub that is not only credited with anchoring the revitalizatio n of LoDo but withcreatintg Hickenlooper's entrepreneurial legend.
Seems Carlton regularly offers up hisservices -- dinner and a baseball game -- for charitg events, and the Durango resident bringse his guests to the Wynkoop afted Colorado Rockies games. Hickenlooper follows that thread to an anecdotde about how he originally oppose d planting Coors Field in the former warehouse districgt during a publicforum -- at the of course -- for fear that it woul ruin the neighborhood. "My investors asked me if I was he says from an unlovedc conference room atthe company'w LoDo headquarters. "Luckily, nobody paid attentionn to me.
" It wouldn't be the last time Hickenloopeer would face questions from investors in Wynkoop a company that grew from one brewpub in lower downtown to a national chaihn of freshbeer purveyors. the LoDo icon nearly lost control of his flounderint string of brewpubs and watering holes earlier this year when a group of minorityinvestors mutinied. The clutch of British venturde capitalists whoinvested $2.5 million to fund Wynkoo p Brewing's expansion in 1996 had growjn impatient and were quietly amassing influence surpassinb their 12 percent stake in the company.
"I wasn't aware of what thesee guys wereup to," he says of the revolt led by Britisbh beer hall owners David Tom Gill and Roger Looker. Instea of selling out, a move that would have paid off nicelgfor Hickenlooper, the bespectacled restaurateur went deeply into hock to buy out his disgruntle partners and gain majority control in the He combined two bank notes and a bridgwe loan to raise $6.
5 millio n and up his stake from 26 percent to 65 percentr in the privately held company with about 100 Hickenlooper threw a party to celebrate the but some quietly wondered how he could turn down an offetr from an out-of-state restaurant group that would have given Hickenloopef more than $3 million for a group of pubs that includesw the Wynkoop, the Goosetown the Wazee Supper Club and the Phantom Canyon Brewery in Colorad Springs. Indeed, some believe the Wynkoop already has enjoyeed its best days in a neighborhood that grew up arounedits vision. It recently lost its designation asNorthb America's highest-selling brewpub to the Brew Brothersa in Reno, Nev.
Though it's understandable that an all-hourd pub attached to three huge hotels and casinox could outsellthe Wynkoop, the announcement from the Institute of Brewinfg Studies reported that the LoDo bar's beer salesa fell 9 percent last year. Hickenlooper blanches at the notiohn thatthe Wynkoop's popularity is waning, firmlt believing more can be done to continue building the bar'ws popularity. Hickenlooper, however, is candid about his sharing the blame on decisions made by his groupl of British investors as well as with the locapl partners chosen to handlethe day-to-day The most obvious misstep came in Ky., across the river from Ohio.
Wynkoop Brewing took over a five-story white elephant callex the BrewWorks. But Hickenloope quickly realized how difficult it would be to fill the retrofitted brewery with its ownfreewauy exit, especially for a company with experience in operating neighborhood bars. When the foam the venture lost closeto $1 million in the first year. "Ik look back and wonder how do you lose that much he says. Wynkoop Brewing'es investment in Nell City in historic Wheeling, W. Va., showes early promise. The rust belt communityy initially embracedthe 200-seat brewpub, but the crowde thinned after a group of chain eateries openec outside of town near the interstate.
"I'vr still got the key to the city," Hickenloopedr says. "It is a key that turnse into abottle opener, which says something about