This is a decision-based case where the primary source of the information was an extensive on-site interview in 2010 with the General Manager of the BrickHouse Brewery. The names of the individuals in the case were disguised, as were the financial data, which were estimated by the author following the interview process.

Cindy Gannon was the General Manager of the BrickHouse Brewery, a restaurant in Patchogue, New York. The BrickHouse, opened in 1995, was the largest restaurant in town, having successfully differentiated itself from its competitors by also serving as a microbrewery and featuring entertainment six nights per week. Cindy effectively managed all aspects of the restaurant, which included staffing and creating promotional strategies.

The town of Patchogue, once a commercial hub on Long Island’s south shore, had gone through a period of decline in the 1980s and 1990s following the advent of shopping malls. One of the BrickHouse’s owners presented Cindy with an idea for a new promotional strategy that had been discussed at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. The strategy, called Alive After Five, appeared as though it could help revive downtown Patchogue, but it was uncertain whether its possible benefits for the BrickHouse Brewery was sufficient to outweigh its costs– both real and emotional.

The case has been used in both undergraduate and graduate courses in Strategic Management, and it has been very well received by students due to the business that it is based on as well as the timeless nature of Cindy’s decision. The case is also applicable to courses in Marketing and Small Business Management. The Epilogue at the end of the Teaching Note enables the instructor to bring students up to date with the events of the case.

This case explores the challenges faced by a major construction company when it outsourced a steel construction contract to a small, independent firm that procrastinated signing a legal agreement. The case illustrates the importance of managing risks from the point of project initiation. Risk management must include the bidding process and the selection of a subcontractor. When trying to meet project goals, timing, scheduling and quality requirements are difficult to manage. Failure to properly manage the subcontracting process may compromise these goals. This case also shows the complexities of collecting restitution when a contract is not in place, and emphasizes the importance of communicating to clients the likely project risks.

In class, all questions can be completed in approximately 75 minutes. Teaching Supplement 1 and 2 can extend the case time an additional 15 to 20 minutes each.