By Jennifer Thomas – Senior Staff Writer, Charlotte Business Journal
May 30, 2023
Sycamore Brewing will evolve into an all-day destination with the opening of its new home in Charlotte’s South End. The popular brewery has invested $4 million into that space, which debuts tomorrow.
Yes, its signature brews will be on tap. But the space delivers an expanded experience with full-service dining, a café with coffee bar, large outdoor area and dedicated stages for live music.
It’s at 2151 Hawkins St. at The Line, a 16-story, 293,000-square-foot mixed-use project.
“I think it’s absolutely a different experience, but I think it’s different in a good way,” says owner Sarah Brigham.
Brigham and husband Justin are behind Sycamore, which has grown to become Charlotte’s largest craft brewery since opening in 2014. It produced 27,767 barrels in 2021.
Sycamore’s new home encompasses 10,000 square feet over two levels — nearly double its original taproom size. Another 16,000 square feet is dedicated to outdoor offerings, with a 7,500-square-foot rooftop beer garden.
The ground level is home to the full-service taproom with all-day dining. Expect spreads and dips such as house-made hummus and olives or whipped goat cheese. There’s also boards to share with proteins, grapes, olives and condiments.
Shrimp rolls, turkey and avocado BLT, and house-made tartine — an option with crispy chickpeas, pickled peppadew relish and other toppings — are among the sandwiches. Burgers, including a vegan option, and a variety of salads and bowls are available. Fries come with sauces from garlic and spicy aioli to spicy buttermilk chive, curry ketchup and sweet chili.
1/26/24, 9:57 AM Sycamore Brewing opens South End taproom at The Line – Charlotte Business Journal
https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/05/30/sycamore-brewing-south-end-taproom-craft-beer.html 3/5
Pizzas are made with with red or white sauce and a variety of toppings. Signature pies include a sausage and Calabrian chili pizza or the Piazza Bianca, with ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella and garlic confit.
The first floor is home to Sycamore Café, a place where the brewery’s own coffee brand is the star in espressos, Cubanos, mochas and nitro cold brews. The menu features other drinks as well as overnight oats, breakfast sandwiches and baked goods from local bakeries.
Sycamore has been roasting its own coffee for beers for a number of years. Adding the café is just the natural next step, letting Sycamore activate its space for a longer period of the day, Brigham says. “I think it’s going to become people’s favorite coffee shop.”
She says the goal was to create a space that was warm and welcoming, where people can kick back and have a good time. It was also important to humanize it, since the building has lots of glass, steel and concrete.
Brigham designed the space, which feels light and airy with plenty of natural materials and different nooks. She drew inspiration from Sycamore’s vibrant, bright and fun cans. “It feels like the perfect aesthetic for where we are as a company right now,” she says.
There are custom teak tables and bar stools, with wicker-style light fixtures, including lamps on each table. Hand-painted murals inspired by Carolinas with everything from hops and sycamore leaves, to honeysuckle and dogwood cover the walls, offset by natural wood shiplap.
“I just wanted to bring in pieces there were imperfect — that had character and natural lines,” she says.
The white quartz bar sits center stage, with pendant lights, and a mosaic stone backsplash. Sycamore’s signature brews from Mountain Candy to Southern Girl Blonde are on tap with wine and cocktails such as frozen espresso martinis, margaritas and Bermuda Rum Swizzle — a nod to Brigham’s roots — available.
On the second floor, the patio and bar overlook the Lynx Blue Line, with green space and a variety of seating, designed for kicking back with friends. Two indoor-outdoor bars serve the second-level space, which has its own dedicated stage.
1/26/24, 9:57 AM Sycamore Brewing opens South End taproom at The Line – Charlotte Business Journal
https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/05/30/sycamore-brewing-south-end-taproom-craft-beer.html 4/5
A custom Airstream food truck is being airlifted to that level. It will dish up burgers and fries with food-truck-style service.
Two stages for live music will feature local and regional acts.
The opening wraps up a 13-month project, almost four years in the making. The taproom at The Line sits next door to Sycamore’s original home. That 1.6-acre parcel on Hawkins Street is now being developed into a 24-story apartment tower.
Brigham says its South End taproom won’t be the last for Sycamore. The search is on for space in the Charlotte area and beyond, with feelers out in markets such as Wilmington and Charleston, South Carolina.
“We’re ready,” she says. “It’s just about finding the right space.”
Gais Construction was the general contractor on the new South End taproom. Peadon Finein was the architect.
The Line was developed by Atlanta-based Portman Holdings and Washington, D.C.-based National Real Estate Advisors.
New York City-based CBRE Investment Management bought the development for $206 million last May. It has landed a variety of retail tenants including Savi Provisions, Chapter 6 and Grit Box Fitness .
