We operate an acclaimed regional restaurant company and also operate Oregon’s largest video gaming retail organization. No other organization has both in-depth experience in operating restaurants and operating retail establishments with video gaming.
Restaurant Experience: Award winning, multi-state operations
Our Elmer’s Restaurants, Inc. and affiliated companies, operate or franchise over 60 restaurants in four states. The flagship restaurant brand, Elmer’s, was recently voted among the "Top 10 Family Restaurants" in the U.S. by Consumer Reports (August 2012). Our newest brand, Taprock Northwest Grill, has also received regional recognition.
Financial Experience and Strength: nearly $20 million in capital
After serving as president for eight years, Davis successfully lead a group of shareholders to take publicly traded Elmer’s Restaurants, Inc. private in 2005 (NASDAQ symbol: ELMS). Davis, Connor, and their team repaid the acquisition financing–years ahead of schedule. With that track record, along with our teams’ 8 decades of experience in the hospitality industry, we capitalized Blackhawk with nearly $20 million in capital for expansion into Illinois. Moreover, our investor group has significant additional financial resources for growth and strategic opportunities.
Video Gaming Experience- 20 continuous years
of operation- highly praised; highly successful
Because of the specialized and regulated nature of this business, a crucial determinant of success is the experience of the retailer. The only two states similar to Illinois are Oregon and West Virginia, on which the Illinois video gaming program is largely modeled.
Bottom-line: If someone hasn’t operated in either Oregon or West Virginia, then they do not have real experience in operating in a model similar to Illinois’s program. We know that a number of "copy cats" in this business segment will enter the market and many will ultimately fail. We know, because we have purchased some of them in Oregon.
Our History and Size:
In 1993, shortly after the Oregon Lottery adopted state-sponsored video gaming, we began building a chain of bistro-style restaurants serving beer and wine, and offering video gaming terminals.
Today, our companies operate or franchise over 50 locations throughout Oregon, under a half a dozen brands- collectively representing the largest lottery retailer in the state. Moreover, we are the only retailer with the same leadership- enjoying 20 continuous years of operation in this business. Our regulatory record is unsurpassed— and we have never had disciplinary action by either the Oregon Lottery or Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
Our Experience in Grocery Anchored Centers:
Much of this success is tied to our operating experience and our real estate strategy, which focuses on operating in higher quality retail locations particularly grocery-store anchored center. (See accompanying page: 20 Year Successful Operating History In Grocery Anchored Centers.)
Our Recognition:
Our operations have been featured by the Oregon Lottery in its newsletter. We have also received letters of recommendation from the Chairman of the Oregon Lottery Commission and from the head of the Retail Contracts Administration. In addition, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission 
has recognized us for our voluntary participation in its Responsible Vendor Program. We are also highly recommended by the Chief Strategy Officer of National Restaurant Association and Executive Director of the Oregon Restaurant Association. (See Awards & Recognition)
Our Principals:
The four principals of Blackhawk have over 80 years in hospitality industry and currently operate or franchise over 60 locations. For more information about our principals and their restaurant and gaming experience, see Our Team.
Illinois Strategy and Experience
In 2010, we formed Blackhawk Restaurant Group and laid the groundwork for our expansion in Illinois. Our corporate headquarters is
Blackhawk Restaurant Group, LLC
17W635 Butterfield Road, Suite 120
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Our Operating Team:
Among our partners is Illinois native, Mike Thiessen, who has deep community experience and who is 
spearheading our community, and governmental relations. Our Director of Operations, Midge Hough, who oversaw all video gaming operations in Oregon, and who has more than 15 years in this business, has moved to Illinois to lead our operations. For landlords and municipalities, our experience minimizes "operational risk", maximizes tax revenues, and assures that we meet and exceed all state and local liquor, health, safety, building, employee and video gaming regulatory requirements.
Our Product and Guest Experience:
After owning and operating restaurants 
combined with the video gaming business for the last 20 years, we believe we have developed a truly superior product and experience—one more sophisticated and upscale than our competitors. Our improved design is more expensive to build than that of many of our competitors. 
Yet, we believe this will become the preferred bistro-gaming experience and will attract the highest quality guest, particularly at the grocery anchored locations we select. As in all our other restaurant ventures, our focus is on the higher end demographic segment of the market.