HopCat to Open New Restaurant in Michigan
The Michigan-based restaurant chain HopCat will open its 12th location in the state this summer. The new restaurant, known for its extensive beer list and "crack fries," will be located at the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets.
- The new 8,200-square-foot restaurant is expected to seat up to 300 guests and will be located in the former Bar Louie space near Entry 6 of the mall. It is projected to create around 170 jobs. - HopCat was founded in Grand Rapids in 2008 by Mark Sellers. The chain is now operated by Project BarFly and was acquired by Chicago-based private equity firm Uncommon Equity in October 2025. - The company's signature "crack fries" were renamed "Cosmik Fries" in 2019. The original name was a reference to the cracked pepper seasoning and their addictive quality, but the company changed it to avoid making light of the drug epidemic. - The parent company of HopCat, then BarFly Ventures, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2020. In October of the same year, the company's assets were sold for $17.5 million to Congruent Investment Partners and Main Street Capital, forming the new operating company Project BarFly LLC. - The Great Lakes Crossing location will be HopCat's 13th restaurant overall, with 12 in Michigan and one in Lincoln, Nebraska. - Recent new locations in metro Detroit include openings at The Mall at Partridge Creek in 2024 and in Southgate in 2025.
