Realignment Helps Denver Restaurant Group Expand to New Market

As he moves toward the opening of his first out-of-state restaurant, Denver culinary icon Troy Guard has completed a restructuring of TAG Restaurant Group—his eight-brand portfolio of Denver restaurants—with the help of Ballard Spahr's Damon O. Barry.

"I'm looking forward to this new chapter for TAG Restaurant Group," Mr. Guard said. "Our restructuring helps position us as a strong Denver business with realistic and future plans to expand with more efficiencies with a stronger sense of value for different markets."

Mr. Barry, a Denver-based Business and Finance partner, helped Mr. Guard create a holding company, work with investors in each of his restaurants, and leverage bank debt as he prepares to debut Guard and Grace Houston this Spring. Mr. Barry led the Ballard Spahr legal team, which also included Philadelphia-based Partner Saba Ashraf, a leader of the firm's Tax Group, and Partner Nathan Seiler and Associate Andrew Spruiell from the firm's Boulder office.

Guard and Grace Houston will occupy a bi-level, 13,000-square-foot space at One Allen Center in downtown Houston. It will feature a private-event space and two outdoor patios. Allen Center is in the midst of a $48.5 million renovation, and Guard and Grace Houston will be one of the facility’s prime tenants.

The steakhouse will become the twelfth restaurant in TAG Restaurant Group, which includes #HashTAG, TAG, Los Chingones, FNG and TAG Burger Bar. TAG Restaurant Group was formed in 2009 with the opening of TAG Continental Social Food in Larimer Square.