David Cohn

In the mid 1980s, David Cohn, a child of the flower power, anti-corporate generation, set out to create a family of restaurants, each with its own distinct personality. That singular goal has produced local eateries as diverse as Corvette Diner, Gaslamp Strip Club, The Prado and Blue Point.

“We like to mix it up,” said Cohn, president and founder of Cohn Restaurant Group (CRG).

The company has more than 1,000 employees servicing 16 outlets, including two on Maui and one on wheels. Considering the high restaurant failure rate, CRG has been tremendously successful, often seeing opportunities in locations and concepts that others miss. Cohn attributes the company’s success to a hybrid approach that may not follow corporate models or be taught in MBA classes, but that’s right for his family of restaurants.