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How a Burger Chain Survived 60 Years in the Restaurant Business | Perry and Blake Fogelsong, Clancy's Hospitality
On today's show I sat down with Perry and Blake Fogelsong of Clancy's Hospitality, a multi-generation, family-owned restaurant group operating seven restaurants across Indiana and Ohio. The company's start came in 1965 with Indiana Restaurant Hall of Fame member Carl Fogelsong's Clancy's Hamburgers double drive-thru burger concept that expanded to over 30 locations across four states, then declined as national chains entered their small-town markets and the late-'70s oil crisis hit. After Perry graduated college in 1981, he proposed shifting into "casual theme restaurants," creating Grindstone Charley's, which grew to 13 locations before facing similar competitive pressure. Our conversation covers how they rebranded toward chef-driven, experience-forward concepts like Grindstone Public House, Grindstone on the Monon, Clancy's at The Garage, and the People Magazine/OpenTable–recognized Fountain Room, plus their upcoming Noblesville hi-fi cocktail lounge, The Pretender, opening in July, and the realities of thin restaurant margins, real estate, and staffing. If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast. You are going to learn about: - The Founding, Rise and Fall of Clancy's Original Double Drive-Thru Burger Concept - Clancy's Shift From Burger Chain to Casual Theme Restaurants and Experiential Restaurants - Restaurant Margins and Staffing Thank you to our partners: Cowpokes Keller & Keller Check out these great clips from the show: 01:32 Guest Introduction: Perry and Blake Fogelsong, Clancy's Hospitality 02:41 Clancy's Begins 1965 03:54 Fast Food Expansion 05:44 Competition And Decline 07:45 Next Gen Starts Working 10:08 Casual Theme Pivot 13:12 Building New Concepts 14:18 Hi-Fi Lounge Explained 17:07 People-First Hospitality 20:34 Grindstone Growth Story 25:27 Chains Take Over Markets 27:22 Rebrand Local And New 27:48 Public House Reinvention 32:05 Monon Expansion And Advice 35:40 Legacy Clancy's Survives 37:12 Balancing Concepts With Team 38:03 Grindstone Growth Era 38:55 Pandemic Expansion Deals 40:39 Fountain Room Inspiration 42:33 Design Details Budget 45:43 The Pretender Hi-Fi Vision 48:30 Opening Playbook Team 50:16 Restaurant Margins Reality 56:12 Legacy Naming Future 58:40 Indiana Home Favorites 01:05:16 Rapid Fire Hidden Gems 01:09:13 Wrap Up & Locations Get IN. is brought to you by our friends at Sweetwater. Whether you are looking to start a podcast or level up your current show you need to hit them up.
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