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Illegal Burger goes public in reverse acquisition

Company plans to raise equity for growth and launch franchising

Lisa Jennings, Executive Editor

October 16, 2017

1 Min Read
Illegal Burger
Illegal Burger

The parent to the fast-casual Illegal Burger Bar chain has become a publicly traded company through a reverse acquisition, the company said Saturday. 

Nixon Restaurant Group Inc., or NRG, which owns four Illegal Burger units and one full-service Mexican restaurant called El Señor Sol in Denver, has completed a reverse acquisition with West Coast Ventures Group Corp., a company that developed online games. NRG took over the corporate entity, but it will no longer be in the Internet gaming business. 

The combined company trades on the OTC Markets under the symbol WCVC. 

James Nixon, NRG’s CEO, said in a statement, “Becoming a public company is going to help propel us into a national brand, and this reverse takeover places us in an even stronger position to branch out into new markets.” 

With the move, the chain plans to raise enough equity to open units outside Denver and begin the process of franchising the concept, the company said. 

Illegal Burger is known for its use of never-frozen meat raised without the use of antibiotics or added hormones, house-made sauces and fresh-baked buns. Every location includes a full bar, including boozy adult milkshakes. About 15 percent to 20 percent of sales comes from the bar, said Nixon.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @livetodineout

Update: Oct. 16, 2017 This story has been updated with additional information.

About the Author

Lisa Jennings

Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality

Lisa Jennings is executive editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She joined the NRN staff as West Coast editor in 2004 as a veteran journalist. Before joining NRN, she spent 11 years at The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis, Tenn., most recently as editor of the Food and Health & Wellness sections. Prior experience includes staff reporting for the Washington Business Journal and United Press International.

Lisa’s areas of expertise include coverage of both large public restaurant chains and small independents, the regulatory and legal landscapes impacting the industry overall, as well as helping operators find solutions to run their business better.

Lisa Jennings’ experience:

Executive editor, NRN (March 2020 to present)

Executive editor, Restaurant Hospitality (January 2018 to present)

Senior editor, NRN (September 2004 to March 2020)

Reporter/editor, The Commercial Appeal (1990-2001)

Reporter, Washington Business Journal (1985-1987)

Contact Lisa Jennings at:

[email protected]

@livetodineout

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-jennings-83202510/

 

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