Javan H.
Yelp
Ms. Mary is one of those people who you meet once, and you can never forget them.
I had the pleasure of filming Thistle Draftshop for my YouTube series "This Is Houston" in December 2018, EAGER to explore the gastropub that's right down the street from my house. They're a beer bar, restaurant, retail store and venue all in one, with bay doors (it used to be an auto repair garage) that open depending on the weather.
Located in northern Spring near The Woodlands, Thistle Draftshop has the execution of a bar in the heart of downtown Houston, with the feel of "Cheers," that neighborhood bar where everybody knows your name. While filming, I was treated to a barley soup and steak dinner prepared by chef Ernesto Villarreal, and I was also introduced to Texas Keeper No. 1, a cider that I instantly fell in love with.
Dimly lit and MASSIVE, Thistle Draftshop rotates 60 beers on tap, with steak and taco nights, plus breakfast options, coffees and game nights. They also have a reading lounge and a separate room dedicated for events. Their taps are sourced from the litany of breweries in and around the Houston area--some as far as my hometown of New Orleans--with a wall of coolers offering proprietary drinks and other craft beer brands.
My shoots almost always run long because I'm usually greeted by some of the most welcoming small business owners. Mary Thorne, however, took that to a whole new level: mom, but a boss--nurturing, while being someone you can't wait to have a drink with. Not only that, but midway through our interview, she managed to list what amounted to a manifest of craft beer brands:
"11 Below, Back Pew, Southern Star, B-52's a really good one, Spindle Tap, Holler Brewing, Buffalo Bayou--I mean, the list goes on and on..."
Yes, I did just transcribe all of that to emphasize how Thistle Draftshop is a great enterprise being run by someone who *knows* her products; Ms. Mary has been in the brewing business for years.
Soon after getting my new job with a book publisher, I had my heart set on visiting Ms. Mary and her team for a burger and a beer. But COVID-19 put a damper on that. They're offering curbside service, thank God, but it's not the same as dining in and taking in the full atmosphere.
Attached are stills from the episode.
I've filmed so many places across Houston and back home in Louisiana, and I've never seen anything like Thistle Draftshop.