The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company was established by college friends Eliot Butler and Rob LoBreglio. The two dreamed of starting a Brewpub that offered many varieties of house-brewed ales and lagers and hearty made-from-scratch pub fare to accompany the beers. The original Downtown location opened in November 1994 and expanded with the addition of a pool hall in 1996. The wild success of the first Great Dane led to the decision to open more pubs in the Madison area.