Mike’s Restaurant Group
Industry: Restaurant
www.mikelikesbeer.com
Mike Cholak co-founded Mike’s Restaurant Group back in 2006 when the company purchased a familiar Kenosha-area haunt: Captain Mike’s. The company now owns and operates three “Mike” themed restaurants and will open its fourth by mid-January 2015.
“Our growth has really been spurred by our commitment to quality,” said Cholak, managing member, chief executive officer and chief financial officer. “Our focus is great beer, great whiskey, and great food set in different atmospheres.”
Mike’s Restaurant Group currently owns and operates Captain Mike’s and Uncle Mike’s Pub in Kenosha and Mikey’s in Pleasant Prairie. Cholak and his partners, Mike and Dave Schulte, Jason Gilliam and Fred Hektor, have invested more than $750,000 in the community.
Their fourth location, a fried chicken, doughnut and steak place Cholak says is going to be the biggest and best work the company has ever done.
“Our first year we did approximately $300,000 in revenue with just one location. This year, without the fourth location, we should do approximately $3.7 million, and once the new location is open we expect to do more than $6 million in revenue. We’ve seen pretty significant growth,” Cholak said.
The company currently employs more than 100 people in the Kenosha area, and plans to add more when the new location opens, he said.
Mike’s Restaurant Group integrates community support into its yearly budget and vision. The company has donated more than $25,000 in the past year to several community organizations in Kenosha County.
Cholak and his partners grew up in the Kenosha area. They all have strong ties to the community and its success is important to them, Cholak said.
“We’ve all gravitated back to Kenosha to raise our families here. It’s a great place to run a business as well,” he said.
