Hennessey's Tavern

In an industry where more than two-thirds of the new entrants fail within the first year and a geographic market that is recognized as a hotbed of competition, the Southern Californian restaurants, Hennesseys, have proven to be a resounding success – demonstratingatypical longevity and prosperity. Since being founded in 1976 by Paul Hennessey, an entrepreneurial former Wall Street stock trader, Hennesseys Tavern, Inc. has grown from a single location in Hermosa Beach, Calif. into a diversified group spread throughout Southern California, the High Sierras and Nevada that today includes: 16 Hennesseys Tavern and H.T Grill operations, as well as the renowned Lighthouse Cafe jazz club along with The Fish Bucket and Mickie Finnz Fish House & Bar – a casual beachy concept. The companys sales have risen rapidly, as well, since its early days. Hennesseys Tavern, Inc. boasted total revenues for 2005 of approximately 32 million dollars. Mr. Hennessey credits the companys success to the fact that it has found a market niche and not deviated from it, even as Hennesseys Tavern, Inc. has continued to expand. He said he believes his dining and drinking establishments emphasize good food and ambience, but shun the flash-in-the-pan trends and gimmicks that are common among his competitiors. The final product, Mr Hennessey believes, is the traditional cozy or clubby feel indigenous to Irish or English pubs. I saw the need for nice gathering places with relaxing environments, Mr. Hennessey, referring to the Southern California market niche that he has captured and stamped with his own name. We have consciously shunned trends and gimmicks, and I think that is a large part of why we are still around, while so many of my competitiors have come and gone. Our restaurants are about our people. We ensure that our staff are more than just order takers or food deliverers. Our staff have become our extended family, along with our guests. No coincidence, either, are the Henn