Articles on companies that have grown by building an impressive portfolio of restaurant concepts.
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September 23, 2014
Tom Douglas
Seattle
Annual Sales: $50 million-plus
Units: 22
Key Personnel:
• Tom Douglas, owner, founder, chef
• Jackie Cross, owner, founder, farmer-in-chief
• Pamela Hinckley, c.e.o.
• Eric Tanaka, business partner, executive chef
SINGLE CONCEPTS:
• Dahlia Lounge (upscale American with Asian accents)
• Dahlia Bakery (bakery-sandwich shop)
• Etta’s (market-driven seafood)
• Seatown (raw bar and rotisserie)
• Palace Kitchen (contemporary bar with an wood-burning grill)
• Lola (Mediterranean cuisine inspired by Greece and North Africa)
• Bravehorse Tavern (a western-themed tavern)
• Trattoria Cuoco (casual Italian)
• TankaSan (modern American-Asian)
• Assembly Hall Juice & Coffee
• Home Remedy (a grab-and-go market deli)
• Serious Biscuit (biscuits and fried chicken)
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS:
• Serious Pie (a pizzeria with a wood-burning oven—two units)
UPCOMING PROJECTS:
• Cantina (a Latin concept)
• Show Tunes Bar (food, drink, music)
• Cuisine Solutions (take-home food products)
WHY IT’S COOL: Back in 1989 when Tom and Jackie Douglas opened their first restaurant, Dahlia Lounge, Seattle wasn’t the cool dining destination it is now. One could easily argue that Tom put the city on the culinary map as he continually opened some of the most vibrant restaurants anywhere in the country. He’s all about product, respecting it and allowing it to speak for itself. Together, they have filled just about every niche a hungry citizen could want, from seafood to Asian to Italian to deli to Southern food. Beyond that, they have produced outstanding cookbooks, an excellent line of condiments and a 20-acre farm that supplies many of their restaurants. Ten years ago, the James Beard Foundation named Tom the best chef in the northwest. Two years ago, it named him the country’s Outstanding Restaurateur. Seattle wouldn’t be Seattle without Tom Douglas.
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