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Watertown Restaurateur Sean Dempsey Shares Brewery Origins, Pizza Expansion Plans on Startup Watertown’s “Vision to Reality”

Two podcasters in a studio with microphones, talking and smiling; poster reads StartUp Watertown Vision to Reality.
Angie Yahne and Sean Dempsey engage in a lively discussion during StartUp Watertown's "Vision to Reality" live podcast series at Northeast Radio SD.

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Northeast Radio SD recently debuted “Vision to Reality,” a new segment co-hosted by Angie Yahne of Startup Watertown, designed to highlight the stories and struggles behind local businesses. The inaugural episode featured Sean Dempsey, the well-known local restaurateur behind Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & Restaurant and the Danger von Dempsey’s franchise.

The Origins of Dempsey’s

Sean Dempsey’s journey in Watertown began after his family moved from Yakima, Washington, eventually settling in South Dakota when he was four years old. His father, originally a truck driver for Deli Express, eventually transitioned into the restaurant and brewery business. The younger Dempsey made a massive entry into the industry when he won a silent auction in Fargo-Moorhead, securing a semi-load of restaurant and brewery equipment for $40,000.

This investment led to the 1999 opening of his first establishment, initially named the Highland Laddie. After operating for three years under that name, the business closed for a week to rebrand, officially becoming Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & Restaurant.

“If I had just had someone I could kind of talk to about it, I probably would have saved myself some heartache in the short term.” — Sean Dempsey, reflecting on the steep learning curve of starting a restaurant without a mentor.

Expansion and Business Strategy

Since its rebranding, the business has grown into a formidable regional presence. Despite the intense volatility of the restaurant industry, Dempsey has managed to expand and innovate his offerings. Recently, he introduced a “ghost kitchen” concept called Logan & Woodward operating out of his Watertown airport location, which specializes in Chicago Tavern and Detroit-style pizzas.


Current and Former Locations

Location Name

City

Status/Notes

Dempsey’s Brewery Pub & Restaurant

Watertown, SD

The original rebranded landmark location.

Danger von Dempsey’s ATY

Watertown, SD

Located at the airport; houses the ghost kitchen.

Danger von Dempsey’s Brookings

Brookings, SD

Active location.

Danger von Dempsey’s Aberdeen

Aberdeen, SD

Closed in February 2025.

·         Dempsey is actively working on a highly anticipated expansion into Sioux Falls, SD.

·         To manage the growing footprint and allow Dempsey to focus on high-level growth, the company is in the process of hiring a regional manager.

·         Dempsey frequently travels for pizza competitions, noting that a win can boost sales by 8% to 10% for an entire month.

·         He is scheduled to travel to Sweden for a fully sponsored competition next month.

Valuing Employees and Community

A core component of Dempsey’s success is his deep commitment to his staff and the community. He credits much of his operational stability to his long-term employees, noting that his head chef, Katie, has been with the company for 21 years, and his house manager, Adam, for 19 years.


To better support his team, Dempsey implemented a 401(k) program three months ago.

·         The retirement program offers a 2.5% match for all employees, from dishwashers to waitstaff.

Community support is equally important to the Dempsey brand. The restaurant regularly hosts fundraisers and gives back in creative ways:

·         Donating 75% of sales to the local humane society during a recent Pi Day promotion.

·         Providing free pizzas for various cancer benefit events.

·         Running promotions where the restaurant covers the cost of local cat adoptions.


The Future of Startup Watertown

The “Vision to Reality” segment serves as an educational platform for these essential local narratives. Angie Yahne shared that Startup Watertown is currently working through the process of establishing its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

·         The organization hopes to be fully operational as a recognized nonprofit by the end of the year.

·         Yahne plans to continue releasing these informative podcast segments featuring local business owners on a monthly basis.


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