It looks as if my post on the Hofbräuhaus on Sunday has steamrolled a bit. Yesterday restaurateur and festival organizer Kevin Townsell reached out to me and stated that he is planning to open Hofbrauhaus Buffalo, with an opening slated for next year. “We’ve been working together on this for better than two years,” Kevin wrote to me. “As you said, Hofbräuhaus US has four locations… Pittsburgh; Newport, KY; Chicago; and Las Vegas. Columbus, Ohio is being built currently. In general, Hofbräuhaus looks for a strong German ethnic population, good tourism base, a college population, and an excellent location therein. Our plans call for a 600-seat Beer Hall, with long wooden tables and benches, servers with dindls and lederhosen, and live German music every night (and many weekend afternoons). In addition, we are planning a 300-seat traditional outdoor Beer Garden.
“The menu will be two-thirds German traditional fare, with one-third representing local cuisine. All beers will be Hofbräu products, imported directly from Germany, and served in traditional half-liter and one-liter glass steins. Hofbräuhaus Buffalo will specifically promote to amateur athletic teams and leagues, international tourists and groups on their way to and from Niagara Falls, and Canadian shoppers and visitors. I am the owner of the franchise rights. We are hoping for an opening next summer (2015). The location cannot yet be announced, other than that it is in downtown Buffalo, within walking distance of Canalside.”
Kevin Townsell started Shannon Pub in 1981 with his family, now on Niagara Falls Blvd in Tonawanda. He founded Buffalo Brewpub in 1986, the oldest Brewpub in NY State. He also operated Festival Grounds at the Pier from 2002-2006, including several German Festivals and Oktoberfests. Kevin has been Chairman and a Founder of the Buffalo Irish Festival since 1982. He operated a Beer Hall and Microbrewery at Abbott Square in Lackawanna in the Nineties. Today he is on a mission to bring Hofbräuhaus to Buffalo.