case study

Old Major

Major success: helping Old Major appeal to the young

Challenge

Chef Justin Brunson, one of the most successful restaurateurs (and chefs!) in Denver, opened Old Major in Denver’s Highlands neighborhood to critical and general acclaim in 2013. However, staying at the top of diners’ minds is difficult to do when the neighborhood dining habits shift and “hottest new place”, inexpensive restaurants start popping up on an almost monthly basis. The now-young local community became more interested in casual dining with shared plates and less interested in high-quality, center-of-the-plate dining experiences, so sales declined dramatically.

Results

Once they implemented our recommendations at Old Major, we hosted a media event with more than 20 local writers and influencers to launch their new bar format, new Chef de Cuisine and General Manager, and new fall menu. We also introduced Chef Justin’s newest venture, River Bear American Meats, with a sampling of River Bear products. Every guest went home with freshly-made sausages, swag, housemade hot sauce and Old Major cookies. In addition, we initiated several influencer dine-ins that resulted in cross-promotional social media posts reaching hundreds of thousands of followers.

Solution

Our team created impact-driven marketing plans that integrated both back and front-of-house strategies to increase sales and customer retention at the restaurant. We coupled this with digital influencer and PR plans that enhanced their marketing efforts.

In Their Own Words:

“Working with Lauren at ROOT was a very comfortable experience. She was very knowledgeable of the restaurant industry, cared about our success, and was fun to work with. Even as a seasoned restaurateur, I learned a lot from her working with my team – I would hire her again 1,000 times over.”

Justin Brunson, Owner Old Major and River Bear Meats

Challenge

Chef Justin Brunson, one of the most successful restaurateurs (and chefs!) in Denver, opened Old Major in Denver’s Highlands neighborhood to critical and general acclaim in 2013. However, staying at the top of diners’ minds is difficult to do when the neighborhood dining habits shift and “hottest new place”, inexpensive restaurants start popping up on an almost monthly basis. The now-young local community became more interested in casual dining with shared plates and less interested in high-quality, center-of-the-plate dining experiences, so sales declined dramatically.

Solution

Our team created impact-driven marketing plans that integrated both back and front-of-house strategies to increase sales and customer retention at the restaurant. We coupled this with digital influencer and PR plans that enhanced their marketing efforts.

Results

Once they implemented our recommendations at Old Major, we hosted a media event with more than 20 local writers and influencers to launch their new bar format, new Chef de Cuisine and General Manager, and new fall menu. We also introduced Chef Justin’s newest venture, River Bear American Meats, with a sampling of River Bear products. Every guest went home with freshly-made sausages, swag, housemade hot sauce and Old Major cookies. In addition, we initiated several influencer dine-ins that resulted in cross-promotional social media posts reaching hundreds of thousands of followers.

In Their Own Words:

“Working with Lauren at ROOT was a very comfortable experience. She was very knowledgeable of the restaurant industry, cared about our success, and was fun to work with. Even as a seasoned restaurateur, I learned a lot from her working with my team – I would hire her again 1,000 times over.”

Justin Brunson, Owner Old Major and River Bear Meats

a few media hits

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