Imagine a world made for beer lovers -- a place where brew, food and music come together to create the ultimate beer bar.
It's a world where there are literally hundreds of taps and bottles to choose from, and the selection is always changing. Better yet, it's a world where you can sample any beer on tap
(no flights, no fees) before you decide to purchase a pint. Sound good? Well, imagine no more.
World of Beer in West Palm Beach is set to open tomorrow -- Tuesday, March 29. Not just any World of Beer (WOB), it will be the largest of the dozen currently open and offering more than 500 different beers (60 on draft), according to WOB's Lisa Weatherston.
Weatherston, who has been on-site in downtown West Palm Beach for the past several months, has been charged with overlooking the construction and opening of the franchise's much-anticipated new location. Her job: recruiting local area restaurants and musical talent to work into the WOB world.
For those unfamiliar with the WOB concept, the idea is simple: It's a beer-only bar that offers hundreds of craft, domestic and import beer -- but no food. Instead, hungry patrons can order from local restaurants that have signed-on to participate to service WOB. With live music playing nearly every night of the week, also local bands, it's no wonder Weatherston has been busy.
"Whenever we open a new location, we put together a menu "portfolio" with local, independent establishments," said Weatherston. "Servers take orders, and food runners from each of the participating restaurants will dispatch their own servers to deliver orders to patrons at our bar."
According to Weatherston, the concept was originally designed to build community relations. By supporting both local restaurants and musicians, it helps to bring people together that may not work with one another in another setting. And it works: the WOB theme attracts a plethora of patrons and beer lovers -- while at the same time, bringing business to each participating restaurant.
"In other locations, like Coconut Creek (WOB), on any given month it's helped to raise revenue of local restaurants by as much as 17 to 30 percent. That's really saying something about what the idea can do to help area establishments," said Weatherston, who has signed-on restaurants including Pistache, Pizza Girls, Gratify American Gastropub and Luigi's Italian Restaurant to service the Clematis WOB.
It's an idea that's worked well since WOB began with its flagship location in Tampa. The company has since grown to include more than a dozen throughout the state of Florida -- Clematis Street just one of nine locations set to open across South Florida, from Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade, by the end of this year.
With more than 200 American craft beers, several local breweries, dozens of state-based breweries, and hundreds of imports, it could take months before you even put a dent in the menu at Clematis WOB. But not to worry -- you'll be tempted to travel there any night of the week thanks to a large lineup of local-area bands and musicians.
"I've been in touch with as many as four to six new bands each week for the past several months -- a lot of young, fresh, local talent," said Weatherston, who names Sekond Nature, the Justin Enco Band and Bounce as just a few local acts already on the list to be part of the weekly performances set to go down every week (Wednesday through Saturday) at Clematis WOB.
ATTENTION MUSICIANS: Musicians/bands interested in playing at the Clematis location should e-mail Lisa Weatherston at [email protected] for more information.
WORLD OF BEER
101 Clematis St.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Follow Clean Plate Charlie Facebook on Twitter: @CleanPlateBPB.
World of Beer in West Palm Beach is set to open tomorrow -- Tuesday, March 29. Not just any World of Beer (WOB), it will be the largest of the dozen currently open and offering more than 500 different beers (60 on draft), according to WOB's Lisa Weatherston.
Weatherston, who has been on-site in downtown West Palm Beach for the past several months, has been charged with overlooking the construction and opening of the franchise's much-anticipated new location. Her job: recruiting local area restaurants and musical talent to work into the WOB world.
For those unfamiliar with the WOB concept, the idea is simple: It's a beer-only bar that offers hundreds of craft, domestic and import beer -- but no food. Instead, hungry patrons can order from local restaurants that have signed-on to participate to service WOB. With live music playing nearly every night of the week, also local bands, it's no wonder Weatherston has been busy.
"Whenever we open a new location, we put together a menu "portfolio" with local, independent establishments," said Weatherston. "Servers take orders, and food runners from each of the participating restaurants will dispatch their own servers to deliver orders to patrons at our bar."
According to Weatherston, the concept was originally designed to build community relations. By supporting both local restaurants and musicians, it helps to bring people together that may not work with one another in another setting. And it works: the WOB theme attracts a plethora of patrons and beer lovers -- while at the same time, bringing business to each participating restaurant.
"In other locations, like Coconut Creek (WOB), on any given month it's helped to raise revenue of local restaurants by as much as 17 to 30 percent. That's really saying something about what the idea can do to help area establishments," said Weatherston, who has signed-on restaurants including Pistache, Pizza Girls, Gratify American Gastropub and Luigi's Italian Restaurant to service the Clematis WOB.
It's an idea that's worked well since WOB began with its flagship location in Tampa. The company has since grown to include more than a dozen throughout the state of Florida -- Clematis Street just one of nine locations set to open across South Florida, from Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade, by the end of this year.
With more than 200 American craft beers, several local breweries, dozens of state-based breweries, and hundreds of imports, it could take months before you even put a dent in the menu at Clematis WOB. But not to worry -- you'll be tempted to travel there any night of the week thanks to a large lineup of local-area bands and musicians.
"I've been in touch with as many as four to six new bands each week for the past several months -- a lot of young, fresh, local talent," said Weatherston, who names Sekond Nature, the Justin Enco Band and Bounce as just a few local acts already on the list to be part of the weekly performances set to go down every week (Wednesday through Saturday) at Clematis WOB.
ATTENTION MUSICIANS: Musicians/bands interested in playing at the Clematis location should e-mail Lisa Weatherston at [email protected] for more information.
WORLD OF BEER
101 Clematis St.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
www.wobusa.com
Follow Clean Plate Charlie Facebook on Twitter: @CleanPlateBPB.
