Well Travelled selection
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on January 14, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/ETHAN SMITH
Brothers John and Sam Hodge are planning to open a craft beer bottle shop at 201 S. Center St. where they will sell roughly 200 different types of beer.
The building that once housed Goldsboro's first grocery store will soon open as Goldsboro's first craft beer bottle shop at 201 S. Center St.
Brothers John and Sam Hodge, the owners and operators of the business, said that they hope to open Well Travelled Beer in February -- just in time for Valentine's Day -- though there is not a set date on which they will open yet.
The Hodge brothers said they will start out by selling roughly 200 different kinds of beer, adjusting the volume based on sales numbers and what customers enjoy. They will also have eight different taps with beer on draft and possibly wine.
Racks of craft beer and wine will wrap the walls, and there will be a bar area where cold craft beer is served.
The name of the business comes from John's love of traveling. He said on when he travels he tries to drink a different beer at every location.
"I travel a lot and always try a new beer in each town that I travel to," John said. "Goldsboro is long overdue for a craft beer shop."
John said the name also plays on Goldsboro being home to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, where the airmen stationed in Goldsboro have come from different towns in the United States and have traveled throughout the world.
"We're hoping to have beer from all over the world, with beers coming from places like Germany and anywhere else in the world so people can try a lot of different beers," John said.
"I enjoy craft beer, and there's not really a place in town that sells craft beer," John said. "I just want it to be a place where people can drink a different beer every time they come in if they want to do that."
Beers will be priced at roughly $2 to $4 per bottle, though John emphasized there is no way of knowing just yet exactly what the prices will be.
"We want to be affordable and not a place that's too expensive, but the prices depend on the breweries we'll be getting the beers from," he said. "We want to be priced competitively with other craft beer stores."
John also said that, as community events take place throughout downtown, his business wants to give back and be a part of those events by helping out in any way they can.
"We hope to make our store inviting for most anyone that wants to drink a few beers on tap or take some craft beer home," John said. "With our location, we think it's perfect for people that want to enjoy a beer after going to the Paramount or attending other events downtown."
The craft beer store is situated on the corner of South Center Street that intersects Chestnut Street, and the building the business will occupy was constructed in 1876. Since that time it has housed everything from a grocery store to a fine dining restaurant as well as several different appliance stores.