Blind Tiger sold to new owner

[Bill]

New owner plans shift in Blind Tiger menu
By Michael Hooper
The Capital-Journal
Published Saturday, February 10, 2007

Jay Ives recently purchased the Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, the only brew pub in Topeka.

"The Blind Tiger has been very successful over the 13 years it has existed, and my goal is to make it even more successful," said Ives, a Topeka native and graduate of Highland Park High School and Washburn University.

Jay Ives took over ownership of the Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, 417 S.W. 37th, on Feb. 1. Ives believes business will increase after S. Kansas Avenue is extended southwest.

BLIND TIGER BREWERY & RESTAURANT
Address: 417 S.W. 37th, Topeka
Phone: (785) 267-6759
New owner: Jay Ives

Ives, 55, purchased the business at 417 S.W. 37th on Feb. 1 from a group of investors led by lawyer James Caplinger. Ives purchased the brewing equipment, restaurant supplies and amenities of the restaurant and has an option to purchase the land and building at a set price. He put the assets of the Blind Tiger into a new company he formed, Tiger Enterprises Inc., but the name of the business will remain the same.

"I like the beer so much I bought the brewery," said Ives, who works in sales at Dynamic Computer Solutions of Topeka.

Ives said the pub and game room concept, introduced in 2006, wasn't a complete success at the Blind Tiger, "so we're going back to a complete menu."

"The food is good, but the menu needs to be expanded," he said.

He said the Blind Tiger has a dozen handcrafted beers, many of which are gold medal winners in brewing contests.

"That portion of the business is superb," he said.

The business has 28 employees.

"I'm incredibly fortunate there is a great staff on board," he said, "Everyone works hard and wants to please the customer and has a great attitude."

Ives said he expects traffic to increase after the city extends S. Kansas Avenue southwest from 37th Street to S.W. Topeka Boulevard.

The Topeka City Council will have a public hearing on Tuesday to increase the budget of the S. Kansas Avenue project to $5.3 million from $4.1 million. Funding would come from federal highway funds, Kansas Economic Development Funds, city of Topeka general obligation bonds and traffic impact fees.

Dave Bevens, city spokesman, said the S. Kansas Avenue project would improve traffic flow and open up a lot of land for development. City officials have discussed the S. Kansas Avenue extension off and on for more than a decade.

Ives said, "I believe the Kansas Avenue extension is good for the citizens of Topeka, good for business and good for the Blind Tiger."

[bike2brew]

The Blind Tiger is now open 7 days a week.