Last week it was announced that the Long Beach-born company Yard House, Inc. would be sold to Darden Restaurants, Inc., which boasts a long list of brands including Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse and Red Lobster.
The $585 million, all-cash sale—which is expected to close in November—comes nearly five years after the founders of Irvine-based Yard House sold 70% of its operation to a private equity firm in San Francisco and nearly 16 years after the chain’s original location opened in Shoreline Village.
The Yard House was one of the early chains to emphasize its craft beer selection and now holds 36 restaurants across the U.S. that each feature 100+ taps of American and European brews. Its elevated fusion menu serves up everything from salads and pizzas to jambalaya and ahi poke stacks.
The sale of Yard House to Darden will mean even more growth for the company, which has nearly doubled its number of locations in a few short years. Chief Executive and President Harald Herrmann will stay on as Yard House president and Darden reports that total revenue for the 2013 year is projected to rise 9 to 10 percent.