Whiskey Creek Wood Fire Grill: Brand Name

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Country Kitchen to make way for Whiskey Creek

By JOHN SKIPPER, john.skipper@globegazette.com

MASON CITY — Jay Kvigne’s goal is to create what he calls “a whole new landmark” in the restaurant business in Mason City.

That’s why Kvigne, 48, is closing his Country Kitchen restaurant at the end of this year in preparation for owning and operating a new franchise, Whiskey Creek Wood Fire Grill at the same location in Willowbrook Plaza.

“It is a steakhouse first and foremost but the menu will include most of the other typical dinner items,” said Kvigne. “Plus sweet potatoes.”

The new restaurant, which is expected to open in April after the present one closes down for remodeling, will have some special touches all of its own, said Kvigne.

“Ninety percent of the menu will be cooked over full-sized logs of oak and ash,” he said.

“We will have an outdoor patio overlooking Cheslea Creek that will feature ‘a conversation pit.’ It’s a fire pit that takes the chill out of the air and people can stand or sit around it and make good conversation.”

The restaurant will also feature ‘s’mores,’ the popular treat made with graham crackers, chocolate and roasted marshmallows. What will make these unique, said Kvigne, is that patrons can make their own on special miniature fire pits brought to their individual tables.

Whiskey Creek is headquartered in Kearney, Neb.

Jim Gardner, president of the company, said the first restaurant opened in Florida in 1995. The business moved to the Midwest several years later and now has 14 restaurants in operation and plans for new ones in Alexandria, Minn., Paragould, Ark., Gardner, Kan., Mitchell, S.D., and Mason City.

“Jay’s restaurant will be the first one in Iowa,” he said.

Gardner is no stranger to Country Kitchen. He spent 30 years with the franchise before taking ownership of Wild West Inc., owner of Whiskey Creek Wood Fire Restaurants, in 2001.

The new Mason City restaurant will have a bar but Gardner emphasized it will be “a restaurant that serves alcohol — not a bar that also serves food.”

He said many of the Whiskey Creek restaurants are in former restaurants that were renovated rather than being built from scratch. In fact, he said, the restaurant in Joplin, Mo., is a former Country Kitchen.

The Country Kitchen in Mason City opened in 1967. Kvigne has operated it since 1986 and has one of the longest tenures as a restaurant owner in Mason City.

He said he is aware of the number of regular customers he has had over the years and is grateful for them.

He is confident he will not only keep his customer base but add to it.

“I have always had the philosophy of working hard, providing good food and good service and knocking the doors down every day to do the best we can for our customers,” he said. “That philosophy will never change.”

He is planning some special events toward the end of the year when the present restaurant closes and in April when the new one opens.

originally published in Mason City Globe Gazette - Published: Sunday, October 14, 2007 11:58 PM CDT

	...more Whiskey Creek headlines
	(February 15, 2008) DEERFIELD BEACH, FL — "Focus on America" to feature Whiskey Creek® Wood Fire Grill Platinum Productions TV is pleased to announce that Whiskey Creek® Wood Fire Grill will be featured on its innovative, educational television series, Focus on America. The organization will be showcased in a segment on “Be Your Own Boss” as part of the “Americas Best Franchise Opportunities” series
	(January 18, 2008) ROCHESTER, MN — Whiskey Creek Franchise Announcement Whiskey Creek Franchise Systems based in Kearney, Nebraska is proud to announce that the 9th Whiskey Creek® Wood Fire Grill franchise has been sold to Blazin’ Beier Ranch, Inc. and is set to open July 28th, 2008 in Rochester, Minnesota. Whiskey Creek® is the largest Nebraska-based steak restaurant chain with 15 restaurants open, and four more under construction, in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Iowa. Rochester will be the 19th restaurant in the chain.
	(October 16, 2007) ALEXANDRIA, MN — Big Things Cooking at Country Kitchen: A familiar restaurant in Alexandria has closed its doors. But don’t despair, it will reopen in a few months with a new look – and a new name.
	(October 14, 2007) MASON CITY, IA — Country Kitchen to make way for Whiskey Creek MASON CITY — Jay Kvigne’s goal is to create what he calls “a whole new landmark” in the restaurant business in Mason City.
	(October 1, 2007) MASON CITY, IA — Whiskey Creek Franchise Announcement Whiskey Creek Franchise Systems based in Kearney, Nebraska is proud to announce that the 8th Whiskey Creek® Wood Fire Grill franchise has been sold to Kvigne Enterprises, Inc and is set to open April 2008, in Mason City, Iowa.
	(August 9, 2007) KEARNEY, NE — Whiskey Creek Franchise Announcement Whiskey Creek Franchise Systems based in Kearney, NE is proud to announce that the fifth Whiskey Creek® Wood Fire Grill franchise has been sold to KC Hospitality, Inc and is set to open November 2007, in Alexandria, Minnesota, at the site of the Country Kitchen Family Restaurant..
	(July 19, 2007) PORT CHARLOTTE, FL — Eating with the Parrot, Chef Marc I enjoyed eating at Whiskey Creek Steak House on Tuesday in Port Charlotte Florida (for those of you from Texas we are on the other coast of the Gulf). This is an American family restaurant that serves a Great Steak.
	(April 9, 2007) KEARNEY, NE — Whiskey Creek Franchise Announcement Whiskey Creek Franchise Systems based in Kearney, Nebraska is proud to announce the opening of its third franchise store, set to open May 21, 2007 in Joplin, Missouri.
	(Mar 1, 2007) THE VILLAGES — Whiskey Creek Makes Mark on Villages Sheriff Bill Farmer knew he'd witnessed something special Thursday evening as he watched the hot branding iron burn the charred image of his family's ranch mark into the wooden pine bar. Careful hands guided the hot poker to the spot on the bar that now permanently bears the family brand — WOF — in the Whiskey Creek Wood Fire Grill restaurant in Lake Sumter Landing.
	(Feb 23, 2007) WHISKEY CREEK PLAN INCLUDES 35 FRANCHISES "We wanted controlled growth from the start, and we followed that business plan," said company President Jim Gardner. "Our goals have changed a bit. Now it's time to take some bigger steps toward growth." Although the Whiskey Creek chain grew to include 11 stores in four states, the restaurants remained company-owned until last year, when the first franchise store, the 12th overall, opened in Hays, Kan. The Kearney-based company now is in the early stages of an aggressive growth plan that will include at least five new store openings in 2007 and as many as 35 in the next five years.