A cluster of shipping containers in the former Avanti Printing & Graphics building at 3200 Pecos St. in LoHi might be a panacea for restaurateurs or chefs looking to introduce and test new restaurant concepts without all of the costs associated with launching a full-fledged restaurant. That's the concept behind
Avanti Food & Beverage, which is being called a
Galvanize for restaurant startups.
"What we're trying to do is create this incubator as a whole," explains Co-Founder Patrick O'Neill, who started Choppers Custom Salads and The Club in Vail. O'Neill partnered with Brad Arguello, a founder of
Über Sausage and Rob Hahn, a local real-estate developer and investor, on the concept. It is expected to open in early 2015.
"Brad and I wanted to create a low-risk, culinary think tank for chefs and restaurateurs," O'Neill says. They can launch their concept at the site for an about $12,000 investment up front, he says. "As opposed to $300,000 minimum for a standard brick and mortar." The restaurants will also pay a flat monthly rental rate and a small percentage of the sales.
"There are eight different licensed restaurants all based out of modified shipping containers," he adds. "Each one of these containers will be outfitted with high-end restaurant equipment -- ranges, flat grills, press tables, storage, refrigeration. It's all going to be there with a kind of communal, shared space as well."
Avanti is targeting restaurant concepts with smaller plates and prices no higher than $15 to allow people to try a variety of foods, according to O'Neill.
"It's going to be anchored by two bars, one downstairs, one upstairs," O'Neill says. "There will be five containers downstairs and three upstairs. There's also a good amount of deck space upstairs. It's all under one liquor license as well."
They anticipate that after a year in the incubator the restaurants will double their investment. "We really want to provide support," O'Neill says. "If they want to expand into a brick and mortar, we'll form something like an advisory committee. We'll have architects and builders and potential investors and ourselves and we'll sit down and say, 'Here's what you've got to do to take the next step.'"
Contact Confluence Denver Innovation & Jobs News Editor Chris Meehan with tips and leads for future stories at chris@confluence-denver.com.
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