Exclusive first look: ‘Coffee shop for beer’ coming soon to Plaza Midwood
Patrick Villafane worked for The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery for a year and a half, distributing beer to bars, restaurants and bottle shops around the city. You could call it research for the new bottle shop and bar he’s opening next week in Plaza Midwood.
Villafane, 31, will open The Hop Shop Nov. 18 in Central Crossing, the strip of storefronts on Lamar Ave., right behind Moo & Brew. He wants it to be like a “coffee shop for beer.”
“A place you can come and feel cozy,” he continued. “You can hang out, take a meeting, you can sit with your dog if you want to, you can chat with your friends.”
Why Plaza Midwood?
“It seems like Plaza Midwood has a need for another good place to buy beer,” said Villafane, who lives close by with his wife, Jenny. “You’ve got Common Market and you’ve got Harris Teeter, pretty much those are your two choices.”
Villafane said he wanted his shop to have a coffee shop feel because that’s what he loved about Common Market South End, before it closed.
“Sometimes I’d literally just go by myself and read a book and have a beer,” he said.
The inside of The Hop Shop wasn’t totally finished when I popped in yesterday, but the laid-back, rustic vibe that Villafane’s going for shone through in the 2,000-square-foot space that used to house a crossfit gym — exposed beams on the ceiling, exposed brick walls painted white, mismatched old chairs and tables, and a dark wood bar.
A mural of a black cat rumbling through the desert in a tank, inspired by his friend’s cat and a real cat tank toy, was still being finished. Villafane wanted a mural that people would remember. I think he succeeded.
What you need to know about The Hop Shop
– The shop will open with six taps but should have 12 by Thanksgiving. There will also be a case of cold bottles and cans, which you can purchase for later or buy to drink in the shop.
– Villafane, who was born in Germany near the Belgian border (his dad was in the Air Force), wants to specialize in Belgian beers. He will also stock local beers, but don’t expect to see ubiquitous stuff like OMB Copper and NoDa’s Hop Drop ‘N Roll on draft. (He plans to still carry stuff like that in bottles and cans, though.)
– The shop plans to partner with a yet-to-be-named local coffee company to serve cold brew, and will also offer wine.
– The Hop Shop doesn’t have a kitchen, but will have local pre-packaged snacks (think: hummus, cheese, finger foods, pretzels, peanuts, etc.).
– A garage door in the back of the shop opens onto a new patio, and there’s also additional parking behind the building.
– Grand opening is Nov. 18. Hours: Closed Monday; noon-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; noon-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday.
818 Lamar Ave., Charlotte. Facebook.
Photos: Chris Stanley
This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Exclusive first look: ‘Coffee shop for beer’ coming soon to Plaza Midwood."