How Hop City in Atlanta Built a $14 Million Retail and Bar Business | Eater

"I opened Hop City Beer & Wine in Atlanta in 2009, working 12-hour days, six days a week, and expanded into Birmingham (adding a bar) and later Atlanta, Alpharetta, and Fayetteville with paired restaurant concepts to achieve economies of scale; today we employ 185 people and brought in about $14 million in revenue last year. To handle big crowds I rely on a strong POS to track hour-by-hour sales over six to eight weeks so I can predict staffing, I staff all stations with staggered breaks, and I empower capable team leaders who will tell someone, “You can’t take a break right now,” when the window fills up. We prioritize cross-location experience for managers so they see the big picture, run quarterly breakout training on guest service to read personalities and tailor interactions, and practice empathy as a tool for recovery — I once tracked down a two-star Google reviewer, listened to his concerns, comped a beer, and turned him into a regular. In Birmingham specifically the bar and retail have great synergy: for limited-release drafts we build displays opposite the tap so guests who try a beer can easily take a six-pack home." - Sam Nelson