FCP/Full Court Press Inc.

What FCP/Full Court Press Inc. does

Full Court Press, Inc. is a privately-held hospitality management company founded in 2000 and headquartered at 200 SW 2nd Street in Des Moines, Iowa. The company operates 13 themed bar and restaurant establishments within the Des Moines metropolitan area, each built around a distinct culinary or cultural concept. The portfolio spans Cajun/Creole (Buzzard Billy's), German bier hall (Hessen Haus, billed as carrying the country's largest German bier selection), British pub (The Royal Mile), Chinese-Italian fusion pizza (Fong's Pizza, known for the original Crab Rangoon pizza), a Southern roadhouse chicken joint (The Chicken), craft beer bars (El Bait Shop with 260+ American craft brews on tap, Iowa Taproom with 120 Iowa beers on tap), a 60s-style corner tap (High Life Lounge), a beer-and-burger saloon (Lucky Horse), a Kansas-City-themed pizza tavern (Truman's), an intimate neighborhood cafe (University Library Cafe), a nostalgic comfort-food hangout (The Empire, reopening 2025 after an original 1905-1906 run), and an underground speakeasy (Ken's) located beneath the Iowa Taproom. The company was founded by seven entrepreneurs who believed multiple themed concepts could succeed in the Des Moines market, and the portfolio has expanded steadily since the 2001 opening of The Royal Mile.

The business generates revenue through three streams: on-site food and beverage sales across the 13 establishments, catering services distributed primarily through the ezcater platform (live across at least eight locations), and private event rentals including Ken's speakeasy. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through physical storefronts with no owned online ordering platform, no public or partner APIs, and no proprietary technology stack disclosed in source material. Marketing is conducted via Mailchimp email newsletter, radio partnerships (Cumulus Radio, Nash FM) for the annual Summer Patio Tour event series, social media, and the ezcater catering channel.

The company has accumulated category-leading brand recognition in its market: multiple establishments carry "Exceptional" ratings from Beer Advocate, El Bait Shop was included in Draft Magazine's 100 Best Beer Bars for nine consecutive years (2008-2016), High Life Lounge and The Royal Mile were named "One of America's Best Bars" by Esquire Magazine, and the portfolio has received media features on Travel Channel's "Man Vs Food" (2010), Cooking Channel's "Sandra Lee's Taverns, Lounges & Clubs" (2012), the New York Times travel section, and Pizza Today's Top 100 Independents. No institutional investment, parent company ownership, or public market activity is indicated; the company is described as independently owned and operated.

Name

FCP/Full Court Press Inc.

Legal name

Full Court Press, Inc.

Website

https://fullcourtpressdm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Full Court Press, Inc. is a privately-held Des Moines, Iowa hospitality company operating 13 themed bar and restaurant concepts — including craft beer halls, Cajun, German, and British pub concepts — alongside catering and private event services for local residents and visitors in the Des Moines metro.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurants & Bars

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Venue & Banquet Hall Catering (THAFAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB), Venue & Facility Reservations (Private Rooms, Event Spaces) (HSACALAJ)

Keywords

• Themed restaurants
• Bar and grill
• Event catering
• Private event venues
• Hospitality services

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue generated from on-site food and beverage sales across 13 bar and restaurant establishments in the Des Moines area.
2. Catering Services: Catering services offered through multiple establishments including Buzzard Billy's, Iowa Taproom, Royal Mile, Truman's Tavern, Hessen Haus, The Empire, Lucky Horse, and Fong's Pizza. Orders placed through ezcater platform.
3. Private Event Rentals: Private rental spaces available at various locations for events, including Ken's speakeasy available for private rentals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FCP/Full Court Press Inc. operates 13 themed bars and restaurants in Des Moines, Iowa, providing food, beverage, catering, and private event services to local consumers. The company functions as a multi-concept hospitality group, with each venue offering a distinct themed dining and drinking experience, and supports off-premise services through catering and private event bookings.

Product overview

Full Court Press Inc. is a restaurant and bar ownership and management company operating multiple distinct establishments in Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 2000, the company operates 12 restaurant/bar concepts as a unified portfolio under a single corporate entity. The establishments include: Buzzard Billy's (Cajun/Creole), The Chicken (Southern roadhouse), El Bait Shop (craft beer bar), The Empire (nostalgic diner), Fong's Pizza (Chinese-Italian fusion), Hessen Haus (German), High Life Lounge (60s style bar), Iowa Taproom (Iowa beer focus), Ken's Speakeasy (underground bar), Lucky Horse (beer & burgers), The Royal Mile (British pub), and Truman's KC Pizza Tavern (KC sports focus), plus University Library Cafe. The company also offers catering services across these locations, runs the annual Patio Tour event, and provides employment opportunities across all establishments. This is not a technology product company but a hospitality management company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Buzzard Billy's: Cajun/Creole restaurant featuring gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp creole, and other Southern classics with a full bar.
• The Chicken
• El Bait Shop
• The Empire
• Fong's Pizza
• Hessen Haus
• High Life Lounge
• Iowa Taproom
• Ken's Speakeasy
• Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers
• The Royal Mile
• Truman's KC Pizza Tavern
• University Library Cafe

Products and services

• Themed bars and restaurants (13 venues) On-premise food and beverage service across 13 distinct themed venues in Des Moines, Iowa, serving local consumer diners and groups seeking varied dining and nightlife atmospheres.
• Catering services Off-premise catering services leveraging the company's restaurant operations to provide food and beverage for external events and gatherings.
• Private event hosting Private event booking and hosting at the company's 13 themed venues, providing event space, food, and beverage services for private celebrations and corporate functions.

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cumulus RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio partnership for Summer Patio Tour 2026 events. Cumulus Radio conducted live remotes at patio tour stops including Nash FM.
• Nash FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio partner for Summer Patio Tour 2026 event series. Conducted live remote broadcasts from patio locations.
• CarblissminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship partner for Summer Patio Tour 2026. Provided sampling at multiple patio tour stops including El Bait Shop kick-off event and others. Commemorative t-shirt provider.
• ezcatercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary catering ordering platform for all Full Court Press establishments. Links to catering menus and ordering for Buzzard Billy's, Iowa Taproom, Royal Mile, Truman's Tavern, Hessen Haus, The Empire, and Lucky Horse.
• IndeedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJob posting platform for employment opportunities across all Full Court Press establishments. Link to view open jobs on Indeed.
• Post Malone & Jelly Roll ConcertminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPatio Tour 2026 grand prize includes floor seats to Post Malone & Jelly Roll concert on July 17, plus concert ticket giveaway at each patio tour stop.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Darden Restaurants: Largest U.S. full-service restaurant operator (Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Capital Grille, etc.). Comparable as a multi-concept casual/upscale restaurant portfolio operator, though at public-company scale.
• Dave & Buster's: Public eatertainment operator with arcade gaming, sports viewing, and full food/beverage programs. Comparable as a multi-venue food/beverage plus entertainment hybrid, though at significantly larger public-company scale.
• Bloomin' Brands: Public multi-concept restaurant operator (Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's, Bonefish Grill, Fleming's). Comparable as a large-scale multi-brand casual dining operator, though publicly traded and at substantially greater scale.
• Landry's Inc. Tilman Fertitta's privately held hospitality empire including Rainforest Cafe, Bubba Gump Shrimp, Morton's, and Golden Nugget. Comparable as a themed restaurant/entertaination venue operator, though broader portfolio spans gaming and entertainment.

Direct peers

• Twin Peaks Restaurant: Themed sports bar and restaurant chain with lodge-style atmosphere and extensive beer selection. Comparable as a themed bar-and-restaurant operator with strong craft beer focus and entertainment-driven positioning.
• Hillstone Restaurant Group: Privately held multi-concept restaurant group (Hillstone, R+D Kitchen, Honor Bar, Bandera). Comparable as a private operator of multiple themed full-service restaurant concepts under unified management.
• Punch Bowl Social: Eatertainment venue operator combining dining, bowling, games, and private events. Comparable as a multi-experience venue operator with food and beverage as core revenue and dedicated private event spaces.
• Granite City Food & Brewery: Mid-size brewpub chain operating full-service restaurants and in-house breweries. Comparable as a multi-unit casual dining and craft beer operator, though more standardized than FCP's themed portfolio.
• The ONE Group Hospitality: Operator of STK Steakhouse, Benihana, and Kona Grill — multi-concept themed hospitality brands with strong food and beverage programs. Comparable as a multi-concept themed restaurant operator with bar-driven revenue mix.
• Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: Chicago-based privately held multi-concept restaurant group operating 60+ distinctive themed restaurants and cafes. Highly comparable to Full Court Press as a private, founder-led multi-concept themed foodservice operator with brand portfolio diversification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/fullcourtpressdm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/full-court-press-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FCP/Full Court Press Inc.