Blog

We’re thrilled to announce that it’s been a year since the Tap opened up in the Ponce City Market. And what a year it’s been. The support of the incredible people here in Ponce has transformed our simple idea – to share our passion for beer and wine with our community in a whole new way – into a fixture at the Ponce City Market that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. To take a look back at the year, we sat down with our President, Lock Reddic, to talk about how the Tap came to be.

You’ve been the president of Green’s, the retail beverage store, for over 20 years now. What made you want to start another venture? It’s not your typical business story…Adam Tolsma, my Senior Beer Buyer for the chain, had been itching to open a growler store near or at our Ponce de Leon Green’s location. We had looked at multiple options, including an on-site location and in nearby strip centers. Nothing really worked. Then, out of the blue, I received a letter asking if we’d like to look at the recently renovated Ponce City Market to put a specialty bourbon store in. Georgia law prohibits the number of liquor licenses (which we have the maximum) and PCM is within the distance of our current Green’s on Ponce that is prohibited by law for another retail liquor license. The Bourbon idea quickly evaporated, but I thought, “this may be an opportunity to open the Growler store Adam has always wanted.” Fortunately, we also have Kenny Go, our senior wine buyer, located at the Ponce store as well. We huddled and came up with the concept and then worked on the layout and the decor and opened about 7 months later. It was very organic and not based on any current model or location - its 100% specific to PCM.

 

What’s the most exciting thing about being in  Ponce City Market? The most exciting thing about Ponce City Market is being involved with one of, if not the most, important and exciting developments in Atlanta's recent history. After visiting Chelsea Market in NYC, (also a Jamestown property) our team understood the potential of PCM. It has lived up to it's billing....and then some. The foot traffic PCM promised has been outstanding and has exceeded expectations. Atlanta and the Old Fourth Ward in particular, has embraced the development and it is vibrant, hip and very cool. Of particular importance is the open alcohol licensing of the Grand Hall and outside patio area; it is a unique and inviting setting to enjoy beverages and encourages groups and large gatherings.

 

Your staff really knows their stuff. How important has that team been to your success? I’m really, really proud of our employees - they are so well educated in the beer & wines that we sell….they are young, energetic and passionate about what they do and it makes all the difference.

 

If you had to describe the feel of The Tap on Ponce to someone, what would you say? The Tap experience is unlike any we've seen. It's a retail beer and wine growler store in a bar-like setting. It's the best of both worlds. You can easily enjoy your draft beer and wine throughout the market’s common areas with our 8, 16, 32, & 64oz growlers, or take it home just as effortlessly, or a combo of both! The abundant food choices make for excellent sit and sip opportunities and we often highlight special wines and beers that complement our neighbors’ menus.Perhaps the most unique product we offer is the 32oz Crowler which is a can version of the traditional glass growler.The can is filled with beer or wine and sealed right then and there for absolute freshness. It’s quite a cool show.

 

You have so many choices and it’s definitely a little daunting. Can you share some tips for how to choose between them all? We have already mentioned our staff as a great resource when choosing a beer or wine but if you’re not a people person our website offers an On Tap page that can narrow down our choices to only those you prefer. Simply head to our On Tap page and click filters, there you will be able to check the beer or wine styles that you wish and it will only show selections of that type. Unlike some sites, our On Tap page is always updated and can be trusted to accurately reflect what you will find in the store.

 

What’s a question you get asked all the time by your customers? We are often asked why we don’t allow sampling. Plenty of customers would love to sample their selections before they buy, unfortunately ATL law doesn’t allow it. The good news is our staff has great product knowledge and will gladly guide the customer to the right choice(s).

 

What’s the most popular beer or wine you sell? Is there one you’re most excited to be carrying? That's hard to say because we have access to a world class selection of craft beers.  But this is a good problem to have! We try to curate the draft board to reflect most of the classic styles.Definitely IPA’s are still king, with sours and pilsners a close second.Also we keep an emphasis on local beers, while making sure not to neglect the best of national craft brands.If I had to pin it down, Creature Comforts Tropicalia is probably our best seller. With wine our most popular selection on tap at the moment is Manzanilla sherry, an underappreciated style. In the bottle, I would have to say Fondo Prosecco, a new-to-the-store vintage Prosecco wine that is re-fermented in the bottle. It’s unfiltered & hazy when poured, which is an ancestral style of the wine that had all but disappeared until it was recently revived by artisanal producers. It’s got a little funk to it (in an awesome way), and is unlike any sparkling wine you’ve ever tried.

 

The Atlanta food/beverage community is famously passionate and exciting. What’s the best thing about being a part of it after being in retail for so long? After being in only retail for nearly 80 years, we were very, very excited to open this concept. Our sister company has 20+ restaurants, but Adam, Kenny and I are not involved in that business, so this was our first delve into a new concept. We are now fully open to new ideas, and of course would love to open another TAP if the opportunity were to present itself. The current roster of operators in Atlanta of upscale beer & wine businesses, be they bar or retail, are an impressive bunch. So much knowledge and most are inspired by passion - not just profit. It’s an honor to be a part of such a vibrant, fun, and inspiring community.