Hartford Business Journal

14 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | FEBRUARY 19, 2024 Max Hospitality CEO and President Scott Smith (left) with Vice President Steve Abrams in their newest downtown Hartford location, Bar Max. HBJ PHOTO | STEVE LASCHEVER Seizing Opportunity Amid post-pandemic rebound, Max Hospitality eyes growth with expanded Hartford presence, new golf simulator concept Goodwin Hotel. Max Hospitality has taken over operations of the bar, now called "Bar Max," while the former Terreno Restaurant is being used exclusively as an events space. It's operating under the name "The Haynes," after the street it borders. The spaces were yielded by Chef Tyler Anderson's restaurant group, which, after six years at the 1881-vintage hotel, opted not to renew its lease, citing a drop-off in corporate events. So far, little has changed at the bar, apart from the name affixed to its windows and its short menu of food. Max Hospitality has engaged a head bartender, Taylor Gillaspie, to refine the drinks selection and operations. A planned bar renovation this spring will include a new color scheme, back bar, pictures and furniture, along with upgraded lighting, Smith and Abrams said. Even without big changes, the bar, and neighboring hotel library room, By Michael Puffer mpuffer@hartfordbusiness.com I n a little over four years, Max Hospitality has swung from laying off almost all its staff during the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to sales of about $60 million in 2023 — topping pre-pandemic revenues. Now, the Hartford-based company is up to 900 full- and part-time employees and growing — not just its manpower, but also its footprint. After selling a far-flung Florida restaurant in 2023, Max Hospitality began this year by taking over a bar and events space in downtown Hartford's iconic Goodwin Hotel. The company is also preparing to launch a new bar/events space featuring high-tech golf simulators — Max's Swing Lounge — that will be paired with Max Tavern at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. "We feel really good about the team we have right now, we have a great group of next-generation manpower," said Max Hospitality CEO and President Scott Smith. "We feel like we are in the right position, and we have the muscle to do it." Smith said he expects continued expansion to follow in the short term, as the company is in a position to take advantage of new opportunities. Downtown Hartford rebound Among all of Max Hospitality's establishments, the iconic Max Downtown was hit hardest by the pandemic. It has also seen the most dramatic turnabout with record revenue in 2023, according to Max Hospitality Vice President Steven Abrams. Nestled among downtown Hart- ford's largest office towers, the location was particularly hard hit by the flight of office workers to remote-work settings. Hartford's population of downtown workers has rebounded, but is still a far cry from pre-pandemic levels. Even so, Abrams said, there has been an increase in evening guests, who have always been Max Down- town's largest customer base. More businesses are also returning to face-to-face meetings, which has helped. "Not everybody uses that Zoom nonsense, you know?" Abrams said. "Aetna and Travelers and The Hartford and Marcum accounting and PwC and Deloitte all started having customers and other offices fly in. And when somebody flies into Hartford, when they're on the plane and they ask: 'Where should I eat,' everybody says Max Downtown. So, I'm lucky in that sense." New ventures At the start of this year, Max Hospitality began leasing the former Bar Pina and Terreno Restaurant spaces in downtown Hartford's AT A GLANCE Max Hospitality Industry: Restaurant/hospitality Top Executives: Scott Smith, CEO & President; Steven Abrams, Vice President HQ: 249 Pearl St., Hartford Employees: 900 Annual revenue: $60 million Website: www.maxhospitality.com Contact: 860-522-9806 MAX HOSPITALITY RESTAURANTS Hartford • Max Downtown; Trumbull Kitchen Avon • Max a Mia West Hartford • Max's Oyster Bar; Savoy Pizzeria; Max Burger Glastonbury • Max Fish Springfield, Mass • Max Tavern, Springfield, Mass. Longmeadow, Massachusetts • Max Burger

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