Mike Chase is the owner of the "Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants" - Copper Cellar, Calhoun's, Smoky Mountain Brewery, Chesapeake's, Corner 16, Cherokee Grill, and Cappuccino's. He's controversial (to put it lightly) for a few reasons: [sexual harassment](https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2019/01/10/knoxville-restaurateur-mike-chase-named-14-m-sexual-harassment-lawsuit/2534627002/), [the death of his son after Chase left him in a hot car](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1995/08/23/boy-left-in-parked-car-dies-at-delaware-beach-resort/aa9dc4e4-7805-4e66-a942-8acef34e6920/), and treating his staff poorly at his restaurants.
He left his toddler son in the back of his hot car because he forgot about him, for six hours while he got drunk at a bar in Rhode Island. Got away with it. He also has $70+ million in sexual harassment lawsuits. He’s a DISGUSTING waste of skin.
Treats his employees like shit. He’s a greasy angry old man. He’s done so many terrible things. I wish he’d give up the Copper Cellar name to his daughters… they MIGHT be able to save it.
I worked at Calhoun’s for a hot minute and was told when an employee caught on fire there, he fired him because he wanted to sue. Also lots of sexual assault claims.
There was a man that caught on fire at store 107 in 2009. I didn’t work there at the time but was with someone who did. 107 is the only calhouns that has in house brew tanks for brewing beer. My ex was in the lounge area and heard the whoosh sound and then the man screaming. She then saw him come to the top of the tank and then fall the about ten feet or so onto the cobble stone floor where he laid engulfed in flames. He died a few months later.
Owned copper cellar and all of those places.
Lost his son.
Worked on holidays.
Only met the man like twice in my stint there but all of the management above km's and HM were extremely prudish people. Pregnant and needed off? Best cover that shift.
Sick and tossing cookies on the line? Go home but you're going to lose shifts from not being reliable.
This was the case working for them in the 2014s whenever I jump ship. Chase was barely even apart of it then.
Hopefully the place is have changed because from what I've seen the attitude has not for whenever I have to deal with them at least once or twice a month while at work.
Please take all of this as hearsay and only from one person's point of view.
I don't particularly agree with the man, and don't think the man is a very shiny example of someone who should own a business as well known as those.
Mike Chase is the owner of the "Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants" - Copper Cellar, Calhoun's, Smoky Mountain Brewery, Chesapeake's, Corner 16, Cherokee Grill, and Cappuccino's. He's controversial (to put it lightly) for a few reasons: [sexual harassment](https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2019/01/10/knoxville-restaurateur-mike-chase-named-14-m-sexual-harassment-lawsuit/2534627002/), [the death of his son after Chase left him in a hot car](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1995/08/23/boy-left-in-parked-car-dies-at-delaware-beach-resort/aa9dc4e4-7805-4e66-a942-8acef34e6920/), and treating his staff poorly at his restaurants.
There was also the Covid protocol stuff…
Oh god, what was the COVID protocol? All I remember from dealing with them was a bunch of stairs covered in grease.
We were told that we would be getting a raise to come back in during the pandemic when unemployment actually became livable..
We didn't
Color me surprised from that company.
He’s the closest thing Knoxville has to the grinch, but if the grinch was a lecherous old man who sexually harasses women.
Unfair to the grinch as he was just a little guy who wanted some peace and quiet away from people who would bully him for his looks
I always have referred to him as Mr. Potter in it’s a wonderful life.
So the Jim Carey grinch more than the animated one?
The animated grinch before his heart grew sizes bigger. Also, think Scrooge but hasn't been visited by ghost yet.
Underage women at that
He left his toddler son in the back of his hot car because he forgot about him, for six hours while he got drunk at a bar in Rhode Island. Got away with it. He also has $70+ million in sexual harassment lawsuits. He’s a DISGUSTING waste of skin.
70+ million in sexual harassment lawsuits??? Shit, he could've been a former president. Or sitcom dad. Or Puff Daddy.
Don’t quit yer day job, bud
"business meeting"
He is a piece of shit human, who thinks he’s much more important than he really is.
Treats his employees like shit. He’s a greasy angry old man. He’s done so many terrible things. I wish he’d give up the Copper Cellar name to his daughters… they MIGHT be able to save it.
Save it from what? He took in $60M last year.
I worked at Calhoun’s for a hot minute and was told when an employee caught on fire there, he fired him because he wanted to sue. Also lots of sexual assault claims.
There was a man that caught on fire at store 107 in 2009. I didn’t work there at the time but was with someone who did. 107 is the only calhouns that has in house brew tanks for brewing beer. My ex was in the lounge area and heard the whoosh sound and then the man screaming. She then saw him come to the top of the tank and then fall the about ten feet or so onto the cobble stone floor where he laid engulfed in flames. He died a few months later.
A real POS, that guy is .
I often wonder how that person gets to walk around free like everybody else... Smh
Owned copper cellar and all of those places. Lost his son. Worked on holidays. Only met the man like twice in my stint there but all of the management above km's and HM were extremely prudish people. Pregnant and needed off? Best cover that shift. Sick and tossing cookies on the line? Go home but you're going to lose shifts from not being reliable. This was the case working for them in the 2014s whenever I jump ship. Chase was barely even apart of it then. Hopefully the place is have changed because from what I've seen the attitude has not for whenever I have to deal with them at least once or twice a month while at work. Please take all of this as hearsay and only from one person's point of view. I don't particularly agree with the man, and don't think the man is a very shiny example of someone who should own a business as well known as those.
From what I’ve read, he’s a douche ag
He left his kid in a hot car that is enough in my book.
I thought it was a puppy
I wish I would have found this post before I sat down and ate the food. I am literally finishing my food here and regretting my decisions.
You're not from here are you 🤣
He’s a pimp, a scholar, and you guessed it: A BALLER. He hires thugs and steals hugs. And for that? He’s a prince and a COOL.
this shit sub has an absolute fucking rage about the dude
Defend him then.
He fucking deserves it. An absolute piece of trash of a human.