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A week after news came out that Armour & Swift ran into some issues with part of their name (Armour Ekrich Meats felt it would cause customer confusion), the Boka Group's Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm have stepped around the problem. The duo, who have both wanted to open a steakhouse since before they knew one another, locked themselves into their offices for a few days and came out with a new name: Swift & Sons.
Katz says that the original name had been in place for a couple of years and that they had gone through all necessary steps for approval through the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The name was "out of pure respect" for the cattle barons that put Chicago on the map, Katz says. He adds that the new name is "a positive thing" as it still pays tribute to meatpacker Gustavus Franklin Swift.
Swift & Sons, Katz says, is the group's "largest investment to date." They're partnering with B. Hospitality (Balena was the two groups' first restaurant together) on the concept that Boehm calls a "natural fit for this genre of food." They are anticipating an opening within the month of October with Chris Pandel (The Bristol) heading up the kitchen and are in the process of working out the menu.
Boehm states that AvroKO, the design company for Swift & Sons, "knocked it out of the park" and that "people will really embrace the restaurant."
As for their other meaty concept, GT Prime, Boehm explains what is different about the Giuseppe Tentori fronted concept. GT Prime will focus on "small plates, most will be shareable" with "lower price points" and "various ounce sizes." Katz concurred, calling GT Prime more "boutique" and "much smaller in size."
Their other upcoming project, Stephanie Izard's Duck Duck Goat, is ready to begin construction next Monday, Katz says, with a targeted opening of the end of the year at the earliest and the beginning of 2016 at the latest.
