['< sod > the company was founded on february 17, 1993, at the [ [ green tree mall ] ] in [ [ clarksville, indiana ] ] ; across the [ [ ohio river ] ] from louisville. < ref > { { citation | last = | first = | year = | title = it\'s what makes us legendary! | publisher = texas roadhouse | publication - place = | page = | url = http : / / www. texasroadhouse. com / our - story / roadhouse | accessdate = 2013 - 01 - 28 } } < / ref > founder w. kent taylor lived in [ [ colorado ] ] and worked at [ [ nightclub ] ] s and restaurants there, having aspirations to attend a culinary school. in 1990, taylor returned to his hometown of louisville. < ref name = " history " > { { cite web | url = http : / / www. referenceforbusiness. com / history2 / 62 / texas - roadhouse - inc. html | title = texas roadhouse, inc | publisher = reference for business | date = | accessdate = 2011 - 06 - 24 } } < / ref > he began work as a [ [ kentucky fried chicken ] ] manager, and had dreams to open a colorado - themed restaurant. former kentucky governor [ [ john y. brown, jr. ] ] helped taylor fulfill his dream by backing him with $ 80, 000. < ref name = " history " / > in 1991, taylor opened buckhead hickory grill, the chain would eventually become buckhead mountain grill. < ref > { { cite news | author = business first - by rick redding | url = http : / / www. bizjournals. com / louisville / stories / 1999 / 09 / 27 / story6. html | title = bizjournal - texas - sized growth fuels roadhouse | publisher = bizjournals. com | date = 1999 - 09 - 27 | accessdate = 2011 - 06 - 24 } } < / ref > taylor was his own executive chef. brown invested more money and wanted to open a second store in clarksville, but complications in the partnership caused it to fall apart. taylor through scott johnson canfield found new partners and was forced to use a new name, texas roadhouse. a year later, he sold his shares in the buckhead restaurant. the second texas roadhouse opened in [ [ gainesville, florida ] ] . the chain expanded rapidly in the late 1990s, and by the end of 1999, 67 restaurants had been opened. in 2004, the chain began public offerings. in july 2014, brian gibson won their burger - eating contest by successfully eating 29 roadhouse burgers in 16 minutes, 28 seconds. < ref name = " history " / > < eod > < sod > the company was founded on february 17, 1993, at the [ [ green tree mall ] ] in [ [ clarksville, indiana ] ] ; across the [ [ ohio river ] ] from louisville. < ref > { { citation | last = | first = | year = | title = it\'s what makes us legendary! | publisher = texas roadhouse | publication - place = | page = | url = http : / / www. texasroadhouse. com / our - story / roadhouse | accessdate = 2013 - 01 - 28 } } < / ref > founder w. kent taylor lived in [ [ colorado ] ] and worked at [ [ nightclub ] ] s and restaurants there, having aspirations to attend a culinary school. in 1990, taylor returned to his hometown of louisville. he began work as a [ [ kentucky fried chicken ] ] manager, and had dreams to open a colorado - themed restaurant. former kentucky governor [ [ john y. brown, jr. ] ] helped taylor fulfill his dream by backing him with $ 80, 000. < ref name = " history " > { { cite web | url = http : / / www. referenceforbusiness. com / history2 / 62 / texas - roadhouse - inc. html | title = texas roadhouse, inc | publisher = reference for business | date = | accessdate = 2011 - 06 - 24 } } < / ref > in 1991, taylor opened buckhead hickory grill, the chain would eventually become buckhead mountain grill. < ref > { { cite news | author = business first - by rick redding | url = http : / / www. bizjournals. com / louisville / stories / 1999 / 09 / 27 / story6. html | title = bizjournal - texas - sized growth fuels roadhouse | publisher = bizjournals. com | date = 1999 - 09 - 27 | accessdate = 2011 - 06 - 24 } } < / ref > taylor was his own executive chef. brown invested more money and wanted to open a second store in clarksville, but complications in the partnership caused it to fall apart. taylor through scott canfield found new partners and was forced to use a new name, texas roadhouse. a year later, he sold his shares in the buckhead restaurant. the second texas roadhouse opened in [ [ gainesville, florida ] ]. the chain expanded rapidly in the late 1990s, and by the end of 1999, 67 restaurants had been opened. in 2004, the chain began public offerings. in july 2014, brian gibson won their burger - eating contest by successfully eating 29 roadhouse burgers in 16 minutes, 28 seconds. < ref name = " history " / > < eod >']