Roosters Celebrates 30 Years In Business

Roosters Brewing Company is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer. 

When Kym and Pete Buttschardt opened Roosters Brewing in 1995 on Ogden’s Historic 25th Street, it was a sketchy area of town. They renovated a 119-year-old building that had been a Chinese laundry and a “house of ill repute” during 25th Street’s colorful past.

Their presence helped spur a renaissance of the former “Two Bit Street,” into a thriving destination for dining, drinking, shopping and socializing.

Over the years, the brand grew into Roosters locations on 25th Street, Layton and at the Salt Lake City International Airport; an expanded Union Grill on 24th Street; the B Street production brewery and taproom on B Avenue in Ogden; The Coop in Layton, and a partnership in The Mercantile on 25th (sharing the same building as the Roosters Hospitality Group offices).

In 2023, Kim Bowsher became the chief executive officer of Roosters Hospitality Group, an umbrella group that oversees the Roosters, Union Grill and The Coop brands.

I was the Standard-Examiner’s food editor back in 1995 when Roosters opened its doors. One of the advantages of age is the benefit of perspective, in considering the Roosters stories and interviews I did over the years. I interviewed Pete Buttschardt in 1999, while the brewpub was in its fledgling years. While at the Deseret News (2000-2013), I called Kym and Pete for their experienced opinions on various story topics. Artisan cheese? They began serving local Beehive Cheese early on, and Beehive deep-fried cheese curds are still a top-selling appetizer. Kids in the kitchen? They talked about expanding their own boys’ palates. When root beer had a moment in the 2000s, they talked about their house-made non-alcohol Roost Beer.

In a story about Pie and Beer Day, Pete recommended beer pairings for different pie flavors; as a non-alcohol drinker, I appreciated his expertise. (For inquiring readers, Junction City Chocolate Stout goes well with cream pies; Diamond Back Ale with pecan pie, and O-Town Nut Brown with berry pies, including Pete’s favorite, huckleberry.) And I talked to Pete when Roosters opened The Coop with Holy Smoke’s Jeff Ray as its pitmaster a few years ago.

I looked back on some of those stories for insight into Rooster’s success.

When Roosters opened in the mid-90s, brewpubs were a hot trend. An abbreviated term for a “brewery” and a “public house,” most brewpubs were better known for their house-brewed beers than the quality of food.

“Brewpubs were a trend in the mid-90s, then there were a lot of them, and the novelty wore off,” Buttschardt told me back in 1999. “But Roosters is a restaurant with a brewery as a novelty, not a brewpub that serves food. The beer thing is a nice addition.”

The focus on the restaurant and food quality obviously paid off for the Rooster’s brand. But in 2018, they also opened Roosters B Street Brewery, where the focus is on the beer. The brewery allowed Roosters to increase production and enter the retail beer market more aggressively.

“To this day, both the 25th Street and Layton breweries are in full operation, and we utilize these smaller brew houses for seasonal and experimental brews, while B Street’s production operations feature more of our core beers and the full canning line for distribution,” said CEO Kim Bowsher in a recent press release.

In that 1999 interview, Pete also talked about having a successful menu.

“When a group of six people comes in, you have to have something for all six of them. The more high-end restaurants specializing in one type of cuisine tend to struggle a bit. They have identified their target market, but it’s narrow.”

But, “No matter what the dish, it should still have plate appeal and quality.”

In a 2023 interview, Pete told me that Pepper Jack Enchiladas are Roosters’ top-selling item, filled with shredded roasted turkey and green chiles, topped with Pepper Jack cheese sauce and chopped cilantro. Grilled salmon is a staple at both Roosters and Union Grill, and there’s a variety of tacos, sandwiches, burgers, pastas and salads at all the restaurants. (Keep in mind; the B-Street Taproom and The Coop are age 21-plus.)

My 1999 article provided some back history on the Buttschardts. Originally from Philadelphia, Pete came West to attend the University of Utah, studying economics and working in restaurants to support himself. He and Kym Olsen became co-workers at Market Street Broiler, a popular seafood restaurant near the U campus. Kym was raised in the restaurant industry, since her parents, Lyle and Sandy Evertsen, owned Sandy’s Fine Foods in Ogden. But at that point, Kym wasn’t planning to make it a career. She earned an accounting degree, got a job with the Price Waterhouse firm, and moved to Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, Pete was just a few credits shy of graduation when he heard about an opportunity to open a restaurant in Ogden’s Union Station. Deciding it would be more exciting than wearing a suit and working in a bank, he opened Union Grill in 1991. Kym came back to Utah, and they became spouses and business partners, with Pete cooking and Kym handling the finances.

Over the years, Roosters has received many awards and honors, including the Utah Restaurant Association’s “Golden Spoon Award for Restauranteur of the Year” in 2023, Kym’s “Lifetime Community Service Award” by the American Red Cross of Utah in 2015, Pete and Kym’s season as Mayors of Christmas Village, and “Best Brewery” and “Best Local Bar” in Davis County by the Standard Examiner in 2025. 

While the official opening anniversary date of Roosters Brewing on 25th was April 4th, a celebration is scheduled for June 21. For upcoming details, check out Roosters social media. Meanwhile, Roosters is featuring a throwback to one of its original brews — Two-Bit Amber. It’s now available on draft and in special anniversary cans for “to go” purchases at Roosters in Ogden, Layton, and the B Street Taphouse.

Food-wise, the culinary team has combed through old menus and will be featuring a some of the past dishes on a weekly rotating basis. Customers can see what’s currently featured on the “specials” chalkboards at the restaurants.

Cheers to 30 years of Roosters!