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44 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • OCTOBER 2015 HOPCAT FOLLOWS ITS OWN BEAT M ark Sellers is not a cookie-cutter guy. Not many people would interrupt a college career to try to make it as a jazz pianist. Nor would most leave successful careers as hedge fund managers because that's not how they want to spend their lives. Sellers did both. After leaving fnance, Sellers went back to his hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich., to fgure out what was next. To stay busy, he opened up a bar — just something to keep himself occupied while he decided where to take his career. The bar wasn't cookie cutter either. Following his own tastes, Sellers decided on no uniforms, no smoking — this was before Michigan's smoking ban — and craft beers only, meaning nothing from the big three U.S. breweries. "I had a couple of other bar owners who told me it will never work," recalls Sellers. "People want to smoke, people want their Budweiser. You'll lose a huge number of custom- ers, and three months from the opening you'll change your mind . . . It's been eight years, and we haven't changed any of those things." The bar Sellers opened eight years ago operates under the name HopCat, a nod to Sellers' jazz days. The concept earned high praise in the craft beer world — several dif- ferent specialty publications and websites have named it one of the best beer bars in the country and in the world. It has grown into a 6-unit chain, with another 2 stores set to open by the end of the year and 20 locations forecasted by the close of 2017. HopCat accounts for the largest part of Sellers' operating company, Barfy Ventures, which owns three other bar/restaurants in Grand Rapids. Sellers expects Barfy to hit $36 million in sales this year and $92 million in 2017. Not bad for a project that started out as a way to fll the days. By Toby Weber, Contributing Editor This Michigan-based craft beer bar boasts $5 million in yearly sales per location thanks to a great beer selection and a commitment to quality eats. The art at HopCat is unique to each location, and the chain often hires local artists to paint murals.