The Craft Stand will occupy a storefronts at 105 South Main that has been vacant for four years.
“We are hoping to be the spark that starts the fire for other businesses to come to the downtown,” said Brandy Geraghty, who co-owns the business with her husband, Don.
Looking around the empty rectangular store, Don Geraghty described his vision, which includes a 30-foot-long bar running along the left wall and retail craft beer on shelves down the right wall. Gathering tables will fill the area in between. Family games such as Jenga will be on hand.
“All the beer on tap will be from the Carolinas, including Lancaster’s own Benford. Other local brews will be from Noda, OMB, Holy City, Full Spectrum and many others. Charlotte alone now has over 20 microbreweries,” Don said.
A back door opens to a small alley where they hope to place a couple of tables. “Our intention is to be dog-friendly,” he said. “We welcome your leashed dogs.”
Once a week, The Craft Stand will feature a beer with a portion of the proceeds going to Lancaster Area Shelter Supporters (LASS) out of Indian Land.
“We have a couple adopted shelter dogs, Davison and Delilah. That is a cause near and dear to us,” Don said.
A small meeting room will be available for reservations for private events, conferences or local artists who want to display their work.
A gathering spot
The Geraghtys want people to think of The Craft Stand as a community gathering spot, not as a bar. No liquor or wine will be served.
“We are offering a nice place to hang out where you can buy and enjoy local products. It’s a social gathering spot,” Don said, with Brandy nodding in agreement.
The Craft Stand hopes to be a place friends can meet with each other after work to sip on a regional, microbrewed craft beer. Soda, water and root beer will also be available. Brandy said they plan to have root beer on tap.
“Craft beer is small-batch brewing. It’s not big factory brewing. It’s somebody’s love going into their art,” Brandy said.
Hoping to win over those new to craft beers, Don said, “All craft beer is not bitter. There is something for everyone’s pallet.”
The Geraghtys said one of their first steps before deciding to open the business here was to meet with city officials to make sure there was no opposition to craft beer in the downtown area. Don said that City Administrator Flip Hutfles met with them and brought the fire marshall, zoning commissioner and several other town officials in a show of support.
“The city accepted us with open arms,” Brandy said.
Don said the city gave them a $2,000 facade grant for work on the front of the store and the signage.
City of Lancaster Marketing and Development Manager Cherry Doster believes The Craft Stand’s presence will attract tourism to downtown.
“See Lancaster and the City of Lancaster are absolutely thrilled to have another new business opening up downtown. We feel like The Craft Stand is a great addition to the businesses already in place,” Doster said.
Business homework
The Geraghtys did their homework in preparation. They attended a four-week mentorship program sponsored by the Small Business Administration, which educated them on financial planning, customer relationships and a dose of reality. They also consulted with Winthrop’s Regional Small Business Development Center. Don said they have talked with other local small businesses, including owners of bottle shops and taprooms.
Traffic was steady outside the window of their future business, and Don pointed out that more cars travel down Lancaster’s Main Street than Rock Hill’s, based on his research on the S.C. Department of Transportation’s website.
Heavy traffic
“The site said 11,000 vehicles pass by my front door in a day,” he said.
The Geraghtys moved to Lancaster last year after living in Charlotte for 20 years. They quit their jobs at Harris Teeter and headed south across the state line. Tired of the crowds and the traffic, they longed for a slower pace with a small-town feel. They love the historic downtown area of Lancaster.
Both are pleased with the move, which included three children (Emily, 13, Allison, 10, and Tyler, 8) and their two dogs. Don’s 16-year-old son, Brian, lives in Louisiana with his mother and visits during the summers and holidays.
“The schools are better and the people are friendlier, with a hometown feel that you don’t get in Charlotte,” Brandy said.
Don managed a Harris Teeter store for 20 years, and Brandy decorated cakes in the bakery department. They shared the dream of The Craft Stand and had figured they would realize it five to 10 years down the road.
After living here for a year, they felt Lancaster was a good fit and the time was right so they quit their jobs.
“We wanted to be the first to offer this,” Don said. “The city needed it. We decided to go for it.”
Craft beer now occupies a fifth of the beer market, Don said. Craft beer is different from other beer in that it is brewed more naturally, without machinery.
“People came to see me in the bakery for joyful events, and hopefully this will be the same,” Brandy said. Her smile and laughter are contagious and she will no doubt be spreading her joy.
Brandy looks and sounds a lot like actress Melissa McCarthy. She is originally from Akron, Ohio, but grew up in Charlotte. Don is from Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to the Carolinas after visiting one warm December day. They have been together for 15 years and married for 13.
The Geraghtys are embracing small-town life and keeping it local. The T-shirts bearing their logo were printed by Pelican Prints. A local woodworker is making their tables out of barn wood.
A huge round bulletin board hangs at the front of their store for local businesses to advertise their services.
The Geraghtys will have their door open during the Red Rose Festival in May to greet customers and introduce themselves.
The Craft Stand will join Benford’s Brewery at Art & Ag’s kickoff event June 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Benford’s.
Don and Brandy have their door propped open anytime they are at the business working. During our interview, a tall man stopped in to ask how things were going. It was obvious he had been talking with them and keeping tabs on their progress. Equally obvious was the Geraghtys had remembered past conversations.
“I’m sorry we won’t be open for your birthday,” Brandy said.
He laughed and made a comment that he could celebrate late. When he left they told me that was Hutfles, the city administrator.
Not serving food
No food will be served, but the Geraghtys encourage patrons to bring food in from downtown restaurants or even order pizza to be delivered to The Craft Stand.
Support is in place and interest is growing, with three months to go before the doors open for business. The Craft Stand’s Facebook page has over 1,000 likes and supporters are rewarded with promotional items bearing The Craft Stand logo when they like and share their posts.
Don and Brandy both say they have received nothing but positive support. “We probably have had over 60,000 views on our Facebook page and there hasn’t been a single negative comment,” Don said.
Business hours will be Monday through Wednesday noon to 8 p.m., Thursday noon to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 10 p.m.
5/1/16
Contact reporter Mandy Catoe at mcatoe@thelancasternews.com
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