Famous Dave's
| Company type | Public (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1994 in Hayward, Wisconsin, United States |
| Founder | Dave Anderson |
| Headquarters | Minnetonka, Minnesota , United States |
Area served | Midwestern United States; 33 states in the U.S.; international locations including Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, and Winnipeg |
Key people | Jeff Crivello (CEO until May 2023) |
| Products | Barbecue food including pork ribs, chicken, beef brisket, signature barbecue sauces |
| Parent | MTY Food Group (since 2022) |
Famous Dave's of America, Inc. is a barbecue dining chain predominantly serving the Midwestern region of the United States, featuring menu items such as pork ribs, chicken, beef brisket, and a variety of signature barbecue sauces. The company was established in 1994 near Hayward, Wisconsin by entrepreneur Dave Anderson, who is of Ojibwe-Choctaw heritage and formerly led the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs from 2004 to 2005. Over time, the brand has broadened its footprint throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. However, all Puerto Rican outlets were shuttered following the impact of Hurricane Maria. By 2021, Famous Dave's had grown to operate 180 venues across 33 states in the U.S., along with four international locations situated in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, and Winnipeg.
History
The inaugural Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que restaurant debuted in Hayward, Wisconsin, but was lost to a fire on November 3, 2014. The chain’s second establishment opened in 1995 within Minneapolis' Linden Hills district, styled as a nostalgic "roadside BBQ Shack," though it ceased operations in 2014. In 1996, the third venue launched as a BBQ & Blues club at Calhoun Square in Uptown Minneapolis and remained open until 2019. Other concepts introduced by the company included a "Lodge" location in Minnetonka and its initial franchise-run restaurant located in Burnsville.
In 2017, Jeff Crivello assumed the role of CEO for Famous Dave’s parent organization. The firm adopted the name BBQ Holdings and embarked on expansion through acquisitions beginning in 2020. Subsequently, in 2022, BBQ Holdings was acquired by MTY Food Group. Crivello exited his position in May 2023.
Dave Anderson
Anderson completed a master's degree in Public Administration at Harvard University in 1986 despite lacking an undergraduate degree.
He was an early investor in the Rainforest Café chain in 1994 and inaugurated the first Famous Dave's restaurant that same year in Hayward, Wisconsin. The company went public via an IPO in 1996—a move Anderson later referred to as "the worst decision of his life." He served as CEO until 1997 and continued as chairman until 2003. Anderson formally ended his ties with Famous Dave's in 2014, entering into a one-year non-compete agreement before founding Jimmie's Old Southern Smokehouse BBQ.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Pages using start date and age with unknown parameters
- Barbecue restaurants in the United States
- Companies based in Minnetonka, Minnesota
- Restaurants established in 1994
- Restaurant chains in the United States
- Companies listed on the Nasdaq
- 1994 establishments in Wisconsin
- 1997 initial public offerings
- Restaurant franchises
- American companies established in 1994
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment