BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL
How long have you been going to The Wicked Spud? Since April of 1999 the beloved eatery has been serving up the best burgers and beer in the Valley. Mike Broman created Hailey’s most inviting and delicious family restaurant after having learned the craft, working multiple restaurants in the Valley over the years. Now his son Alec is taking the helm.
Alec Broman is the de-facto face of The Wicked Spud. Affable and friendly, he can be found firing up the grill in the morning or running the numbers after closing nearly every day. When not serving up Wicked Chickens, he’s the assistant coach for the Sun Valley Suns youth hockey team, practicing weekly at Campion Ice House in Hailey. “They’re good kids. They’re pretty well-behaved,” said Broman. Hockey is Broman’s ultimate passion outside of classic films.
“I really like hosting, you know, taking care of people. Giving them a beer when their day is bad.” But more than just helping his dad, Broman is set to take over The Spud.
“I’ve worked here as long as I can remember, you know, like nine years old, sitting over here trying to help make burgers. My dad would kick me to the side when it got busy, you know, but I actually started really working and cooking on the grill when I was about 14. So it’s been 10, 11 years of doing that and everything else in between, but as I’m getting older, I’m taking on more responsibility. That’s kind of the goal, try and help take over. I think it’d be cool to further my dad’s legacy, I guess, in that regard.”
The Spud’s Wicked Wednesdays are the highlight of the summer for local live music, but year-round it’s all about the food.
Everyone in the Valley knows the joy of biting into one of The Spud’s black Angus burgers, but Broman says it’s the fries that kick. “What we’re most known for are our fries. Can’t beat these fries. If I told you the secret, I’d have to kill you!”
Family owned, operated and resolutely catering to a family atmosphere, the wooden walls of The Wicked Spud might also be a good place to catch up on college homework or have a beer and surf the net with their super-fast Wi-Fi. Any reason is a good one to stop in and say hi to Alec Broman.
