Over the course of 2009, Greensboro-based Natty Greene’s Brewpub will open a new location in Raleigh. The location will be 505 West Jones St., the former location of Southend Brewery and Prime Only Steakhouse and Sushi Bar.
Goals of becoming North Carolina’s brewery.
Both Natty Greene’s and Greensboro were named for Nathaniel Greene, the Revolutionary War General who commanded Colonial troops into battle throughout North Carolina. While the pub shares its namesake with a specific city, Natty’s owners are eager to establish Natty Greene’s as North Carolina’s premier brewery.
In an article in Greensboro’s News & Record on January 23rd, co-owner Chris Lester stated “We want to become North Carolina’s brewery…We need to establish ourselves in the large metropolitan areas to achieve that goal.”
As the next step towards becoming North Carolina’s brew, Kayne Fisher, a native of New Mexico and Colorado, is looking to make a new home for Natty Greene’s in Raleigh over the course of 2009. Fisher is planning to bring with him an award winning line of its core beers, including Guilford Golden Ale, Natty’s Pale Ale, Buckshot Amber Ale, Old Town Brown, and General Stout. Natty’s line up continues to grow, and currently includes specialty beers such as Wildflower Witbier, Black Powder Imperial Stout, and the popular Cannonball Double IPA. Once it is ready, the Raleigh location is expected to brew between 8 and 12 beers on site. Fisher states that the Raleigh location will continue Natty’s goal of keeping its brew masters innovative with the potential to develop new beers to be brewed exclusively in the new Raleigh location.
What else does Natty’s have to offer?
Natty’s has already proven successful in Greensboro, with a loyal, local base of fans and customers. Why not just bring the beer, and avoid the hassle of building a new location? With the brand already developing the capacity to bottle and distribute its unique brews to grocery stores and other distributors throughout the region, the question “What’s in it for Raleigh?” deserves to be asked. Fisher answers that Natty’s is founded on a passion not only for brewing beers, but also on a commitment to promoting an atmosphere unique to its home community for people to gather and hang out.
Natty Greene’s owners do not see the brand’s identity as too closely tied to Greensboro to be successful down the interstate here in Raleigh. Why? Fisher gives a simple answer; the identity of Natty Greene’s is based in its fundamental idea and defining character. From what the bar and restaurant has established itself to be in Greensboro, this character may be hard to describe, but easy to feel after a few visits for dinner or drinks. However, in an effort to describe this character, Fisher does his best, giving examples of the variety of crowds that frequent the Greensboro location. According to Fisher, you may see a row of baby strollers parked at Natty’s entrance on one afternoon as the restaurant fills with young families, and on that same night, see a live band playing to a predominantly college-aged crowd on the outdoor patio. I myself have been at Natty’s on nights that felt like improvised homecomings of college students from every local highschool’s graduating classes over the past 5 years, only to return a few nights later to a sports bar of professional sports jerseys glued to giant HD screens. In short, Natty’s caters to, supports, and at times creates its sense of community.
As for their new location in Raleigh, Fisher envisions it as an ideal stopping off point for people on their way downtown from South Glenwood neighborhoods as well as from St. Mary’s and NC State’s campuses. Fisher recognizes the changing face of Raleigh’s downtown, and hopes that Natty’s can provide a comfortable mix of neighborhood familiarity with downtown vibrancy.
Similar to their downtown Greensboro location, Fisher plans to preserve the old powerhouse building’s unique character to allow its history to speak for itself. As the former home of Southend Brewery, Fisher believes the building will be a comfortable home for a brewpub with few renovations required.
In Greensboro, Natty’s reach extended beyond its doors, as it partnered with the local minor league baseball team, the Greensboro Grasshoppers, to sponsor the ball park’s amazingly successful “Thirsty Thursday.” Fisher seems interested in connecting to Raleigh’s community in similar style, but makes no promises other than a commitment to first better understand and assimilate to the growing community already developing in Raleigh’s core.
In a city and region marked by the contributions of transplanted residents, Natty Greene’s may be seen as a new neighbor eager to better understand the community and contribute to the vibrancy and development of the city’s future.
photos by John Morris
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