Story-Tell: Sitting Down with the Owners of Town Beer Co.
Welcome back to EL’s “Story-tell” series! Our goal is to provide our readers with perspective on company culture, brand growth and overall experience as an entrepreneur. From scrappy beginnings to today — it’s time to be inspired!
We recently had the opportunity to connect with Priya and Alex, co-founders and operators of Town Beer Co., a craft beer shop and tasting room located in the charming neighborhood of Murray Hill in Jacksonville, FL. Likely, you’ve seen photos of their modern, airy tasting room on Instagram—we are absolutely swooning over everything they do!
Keep reading to learn more about the couple’s journey and how this amazing local business got started. Let’s get to it!
Alex & Priya, co-founders of Town Beer Co. outside of their Murray Hill craft beer shop and tasting room.
Q: Tell us what brought you to Jacksonville and how long have you been living here?
A: Priya and Alex are originally from Virginia and moved to Jacksonville in 2011 for college. Priya is a University of North Florida Osprey, class of `13, and Alex is a Jacksonville University Dolphin, class of `16 and `17.
Q: What fueled you to open Town Beer Co.? How did you land on this idea?
A: It was hard for Priya and Alex to NOT fall in love with Jacksonville’s craft beer community. Alex worked as an environmental laboratory analyst during his undergrad. He began homebrewing in 2013, which led to his position as Brewer and Representative at Veterans United Craft Brewery. During his undergrad, studying sustainability, they became passionate about the idea of opening a business that had a positive byproduct. Rather than take a competitive approach and go toe-to-toe with existing breweries, they mustered the concept of a retail store that is complementary to the amazing beer that is already being produced in Jacksonville. A sustainable model that pulls the product down the line for local producers, promotes their product-lines and brands, and reduces the carbon footprint (no matter how small) of the growing beer industry.
Q: Do you both come from business backgrounds?
A: Priya holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and many years of experience as a digital marketing specialist. Alex holds a Bachelor of Science in Sustainability and a Master of Business Administration in Management with a background in military, environmental science, and craft beer production and sales.
Q: Why did you choose Murray Hill for your 1st location and this particular space? How long have been servicing the community?
A: Alex and Priya fell in love with the Murray Hill community for its charm, character, and neighborly feel. They purchased their first home in Murray Hill in 2016 and broke ground on Town Beer Co. four months later. Their doors have been open since May 2017.
Q: You carry unique brands—how do you discover the brands that you carry and how often are you changing things up? Has the pandemic impacted supply?
A: Town Beer Co. is dedicated to local beer and sustainably produced wine. Priya and Alex are familiar with the brands they offer through years of support as customers themselves. Their draft offerings change daily, while their packaged product remains consistent. The pandemic had a devastating impact on the supply chain. Breweries throttled back on production, while distributors began minimizing staff, orders, and deliveries.
Q: What would you consider your bestseller? What's your go-to?
A: Town’s bestseller and all time favorite is Town Lager, a pre-prohibition style lager produced by Fishweir Brewing. It’s a crisp, light lager that almost anyone can enjoy, and it is exclusively available at Town Beer Co.
Q: We noticed you are incredibly active with collaborating with local makers and artisans—how frequently do you host events like this and why is this important to you?
A: Town Beer Co. hosts several pop-ups and markets with local vendors each year. These markets happen at least once every quarter. It is important for Town to support local as much as possible, because it strengthens the sense of community and creates a synergy that is beneficial for all brands involved.
Q: You have such a beautiful and inviting space, what inspired your design choices? Where there any bumps in the road with design and construction?
A: Town’s design is a collaboration between Priya and Alex. They tackled the design and buildout completely on their own. They pieced together a space that they feel is inviting and welcoming, minimal and relaxing. The type of place they would want to meet with friends for little distraction, good drinks, and even better conversation. Like anything, there are always unexpected bumps in the road. The layout and design had to undergo several revisions throughout the years for better functionality and ultimately to remain proactive with what customers are seeking.
Q: What words of wisdom have you received, professionally and personally? What advice would you give yourself now if you had to start all over?
A: The most resonating bit of advice received over the years is to be the best at what you do. People can grab a beer anywhere, but it is Town’s mantra to know our customers. We want to genuinely know the people who spend their hard-earned dollar with us. Alex and Priya do their best to know their customers’ names, their children’s names, and even their pets’ names. It is paramount that we grow warm relationships with our supporters and show them the gratitude that they deserve.
Q: With running a business, what does work-life balance look like and mean to you?
A: Work-life balance is something that you must sacrifice for the first few years of operations. Alex and Priya worked seven days a week for a long period. It is not only important for the well-being of your business, but it is a ‘lead from the front’ commitment that impacts your team and your clientele. Moving into year four, Alex and Priya are beginning to step out from behind the bar to focus on starting a family and the intricacies of furthering the business.
Q: Inquisitive minds what to know, what is next for you and Town Beer Co.?
A: If we can have it our way…Town Beer Co. will have several locations throughout the state of Florida, under the strict model of only offering the respective city’s locally produced beer. It is our goal and our dream to open many locations and further the positive impact!
Q: How can our readers find you?
H: Sun - Tues: 12-8pm
Wed - Sat: 12-10pmA: 1176 Edgewood Ave S #4, Jacksonville, FL 32205
IG: @townbeerco
Interested in learning some basic drink-food pairings? Check out Town Beer Co.’s pairing guide here. Happy tasting and support local!