Davis quits Pittsburgh Brewing to open new beer joint
Tim Schooley
As Mark Davis talks, a list emerges of all the different ingredients he expects will make his new Pittsburgh Bottle Cafe successful. It includes 250 different beers sold by the bottle, his own craft beers brewed on the premises, two former Miss Pennsylvanias serving as part-time bartenders, professional football players, local radio personality and close friend Jim Krenn, wings, a variety of grilled sandwiches and salads.
And then there's Mr. Davis himself -- the brewmaster of Pittsburgh Brewing Co., seeking to capitalize on his 20 years of experience making beer at a new restaurant where the beer will not only be free-flowing, but also the subject of study.
"These are things I'm doing that are going to make my place unique," said Mr. Davis. At this point, Mr. Davis is a jumble of nerves, even as he enlists Mr. Krenn, pro football stars such as LaVar Arrington of the Washington Redskins and a slew of TV personalities -- all of whom he met at the brewery -- to help him market his new place. He's experiencing the feelings that come when a first-time entrepreneur finally embarks upon a lifetime dream.
"I'm very excited," said Mr. Davis. "I'm also very nervous."
Mr. Davis' plans seem both conservative and ambitious at once. He expects to open the Pittsburgh Bottle Cafe by the end of March in a 2,000-square-foot storefront in Collier Town Center, a new shopping center in Collier Township. Construction crews are now working to build out the facility.
With funding help from the Small Business Administration and National City Bank, Mr. Davis has devised a business plan that might look typical for a brew pub. But knowing how much the equipment can cost for a full-scale operation, he's cut back, offering only a few tanks that can produce about 25 kegs each month. With them, Mr. Davis expects to focus on offering various beers by the season.
Beyond offering 250 beers by the bottle that he will sell in mix-and-match six-packs to go, he also plans to offer his own Saturday morning brewmaster's class.
Through it, he will charge the customers/students a basic class fee and allow them to learn all about beer and the beer industry. He aspires to establish the quality of food and ambiance that will make the Pittsburgh Bottle Club the equivalent of the Tessaro's -- the popular Bloomfield restaurant -- of the South Hills.
He has his numbers down.
After investing $180,000 to open the place, he expects it will reach between $350,000 and $500,000 in annual revenue. He says he needs to do more than $500 in sales each day to break even.
If Mr. Davis seems to know his market, it's at least partly because he so typifies it. If a paint-by-number prototypical Pittsburgher could be described as unaffected, friendly to a fault and considerate, Mr. Davis fits perfectly.
Mr. Davis is making the move with some reluctance, as it will mean leaving Pittsburgh Brewing. To comply with state liquor laws, he must sever his relationship with it to start his own place. With the initials of his new establishment hinting at his allegiance to Pittsburgh Brewing, he said, "My heart will always be at the brewery. That's what's given me my knowledge."
But, he's moving on. "Now is the right time. I'm at the point in my life at the brewery where I've learned everything," he said. "I have a great passion for beer and food."
Considering that it took six months to find the right real estate, he also believes he's chosen the right place. Collier is wedged between the wealthy South Hills communities of Mount Lebanon, Upper St. Clair and Green Tree -- and only a short drive from each.
Michael Hendrickson, who is leasing the center for his Hendrickson Retail Group, expects the location will bring the Pittsburgh Bottle Cafe the kind of specialty beer drinker it seeks.
"He's not looking for a big bar crowd. He's looking for a specialty crowd that has money," said Mr. Hendrickson. He believes the high-quality sandwiches and varied beer selection will attract a following.
Others have proven there is a market for a restaurant featuring a broad range of specialty beers. In recent years, bar owner Jeff Walewski has enjoyed double-digit sales growth at his two Sharp Edge locations, the Sharp Edge Beer Emporium in East Liberty and the Creek House in Crafton.
Offering more than 20 Belgian ales and more than 500 beers by the bottle, each restaurant does more than $1 million in annual sales, Mr. Walewski told the Business Times in November.
Cris Hoel, a local attorney closely involved in the beer industry who years ago helped Tom Pastorius' Penn Brewery on the North Side become the first microbrewery in Pennsylvania, calls the market for specialty beers an underserved one.
"The laws make it difficult for people to find unusual beers at a reasonable price in a convenient location," he said.
To open the Pittsburgh Bottle Cafe, Mr. Davis needed to establish both a manufacturing license (to make beer on site) and a restaurant liquor license.
In a beer industry that he says isn't known for innovation, Mr. Hoel said he thinks Mr. Davis' formula has all the right ingredients. "Before Tom Pastorius, no one had succeeded with a local microbrewery. Before the Sharp Edge, no one had succeeded with a full-fledged beer selection," said Mr. Hoel. "Maybe Mr. Davis will be the first to succeed with his concept. I'd welcome it."
MR. SCHOOLEY may be contacted at tschooley@bizjournals.com
