Branding, Restaurants, and Building Experiences: A Conversation with Kevin Grangier

By Alisha Proffitt • Photos By Matt Johnson

You wouldn’t expect the guy representing national campaigns for Coors, ESPN, and even the iconic “Got Milk?” tagline to suddenly trade conference rooms for commercial kitchens. But Kevin Grangier doesn’t exactly do what’s expected. In 2010, after decades in marketing and brand development, he launched The Village Anchor in Anchorage, Kentucky, his first foray into the restaurant world, and almost immediately earned the title “Restaurateur of the Year” from the Kentucky Restaurant Association, and was honored again with the same award just a few months back. Not bad for someone who openly admits he had no restaurant background at the time. 

“I just created what I believed the city was ready for,” Grangier says. That phrase could easily be the thesis of his career. 

Grangier’s switch from representing national consumer products to building a hospitality company wasn’t a complete leap in the dark. “There were no restaurants around me here in Kentucky that I considered to be experiential dining options. With no restaurant background, I simply took what I did know - product development and branding, and applied it to food and beverage.” 

For Kevin, curiosity is part of the strategy. “Like all of my restaurants, The Village Anchor, which came to life 15 years ago this year, creates a curiosity among consumers who want to know more about this hidden gem,” explains Kevin. “It champions a unique experience which ultimately is the foundation of my various restaurants.”

That approach has been central to his restaurant group, Belle Noble Entertainment, which now includes concepts as diverse as Le Moo, Grassa Gramma, and the recently opened Sake A Gogo in NuLu and The Steakhouse Bourré Bonne downtown.

But if you think Grangier has some kind of step-by-step playbook, think again. “I would not say that I have a specific process that plays out the same way every time,” he admits. “I do know it begins with a personal connection to the cuisine- Italian, southern, Japanese, steak. From there, I visualize how it might play out and if the consumer would go for it. After that, it typically takes years to be ready to do it, add to that whatever time necessary to find the right location. I envisioned Sake a Gogo probably 10 years before pen ever went to paper.”

He’s also a firm believer in big swings. Case in point: Hotel Bourré Bonne, a massive, multi-layered hospitality venture that allowed him to flex every branding and creative muscle. “Participating in the creation of Hotel Bourré Bonne and its restaurant and beverage spaces was an opportunity to explore something far grander than I had ever experienced in the hospitality industry,” he says. “Beyond the exercise of developing the brand and its nomenclature, and designing much of the space, the partnership allowed me to be a part of and learn from a team of brilliant developers and creative entrepreneurs that had its eye fixed on bringing something that would make a real difference to both locals and visitors to Louisville. Hotel Bourré Bonne is a compelling example of how Louisville’s leaders are thoughtfully composing a refreshing brand that is defining its future.”

Still, opening multiple venues nearly simultaneously, as he did with Sake A Gogo and the Hotel Bourré Bonne projects, is no small feat! “The exercise of developing multiple brands at nearly identical times was a challenge, for sure,” he says of this massive undertaking. “Launching both brands nearly in sync required careful consideration of the audiences affected by each brand, and how and when we introduced those brands to them. There’s a real risk of overload and confusion. Two separate teams executed the launches, which led to unique strategies, message platforms, assets, and identifiers for each.”

With all this expansion and experimentation, it begs the question: how does he balance the creative side with the day-to-day chaos of operations? The answer, unsurprisingly, comes down to people. “I have an incredible team, many with whom I have worked for 15 years, we understand each other. We train, activate, monitor, and are constantly focused on both the business and customer experience objectives. With the team operating full steam, I am afforded the opportunity to develop, create, and execute new brands fresh with new and innovative ideas.”

As for further expansion outside the city? He’s open, cautiously. “I am regularly presented with opportunities outside of the Louisville area, but I don’t feel I have saturated the local environment as each of my brands is different and their experiences and offerings are distinct. Local or otherwise, I will always ask some basic questions before taking on the development of a new brand: Will the concept resonate with the consumer? Is it good timing- can the economy and environment withstand any turbulence? Can I assemble the leadership team that blends seamlessly with Belle Noble? And can I physically make it happen within a reasonable budget?” 

It’s a refreshing dose of pragmatism in a world that can sometimes be fueled more by buzz than business sense. 

For aspiring restaurateurs, Grangier offers advice that cuts through the froth: “Hospitality is a fascinating industry that can lead to a fulfilling career. You need not have a passion for food or the kitchen, but you do need to have respect for people and a passion for serving them. You must recognize that the way you build a company that adds value to your portfolio is by constantly being aware of your customer and making their experience the foundation of your mission.” 

Outside the restaurant world (if there is such a thing for him), Grangier finds joy in history, documentaries, and understanding people and the human experience. “ I have a passion for people and find myself studying them to understand not simply what makes them tick, but why they tick.” And in perhaps the most charming revelation of our entire conversation, he shares a soft spot for kittens. “I am a fervent advocate of animals, kittens in particular, and make time to rescue, heal, and re-home them.” 

So, to recap: branding guru, restaurateur, hotel visionary, people-studier, kitten rescuer. 

And somehow, for him, it all makes perfect sense.