Self-serve wine and craft beer bar Hoppin’ opens in South End tomorrow
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
South End will see Hoppin’ make its debut tomorrow morning, December 2, at 10 a.m. It’s a soft opening, so expect a few hiccups. Find it at 1402 Winnifred Street, and connect on Facebook and Instagram.
The wait is over: Hoppin’, the city’s first self-serve (and seriously technologically advanced) bar will open to the public tomorrow, December 2, on Winnifred Street.
/2024/01/05/1704474134724.jpg)
/2024/01/05/1704474134987.png)
The exact address is 1402 Winnifred Street.
The 4,600 square foot space could not be more gorgeous.
/2024/01/05/1704474135195.jpg)
/2024/01/05/1704474135586.jpg)
/2024/01/05/1704474135875.jpg)
/2024/01/05/1704474136144.jpg)
It’s large and airy, with walls covered in tile, moss and artwork on the first floor and couches, chairs and darts on the second, which overlooks the entire space in addition to a patio with the skyline view.
/2024/01/05/1704474136582.jpg)
/2024/01/05/1704474136859.jpg)
In addition, a garage door will open to a large patio space with picnic tables, grass, soft lighting and cornhole.
Selecting a drink is borderline overwhelming, what with a full 60+ taps to choose from (made up of beer, wine, rosé and kombucha), but by utilizing advanced iPourIt technology, the process of serving and paying could not be simpler.
/2024/01/05/1704474137146.jpg)
/2024/01/05/1704474137430.jpg)
Taps include local brands, like Olde Mecklenburg Brewery and UpDog Kombucha, as well as regional, such as Great Divide and Sierra Nevada.
Customers pour and update their tab in one fell swoop by waving the smart wristband in front of a tablet. Simply check out at the desk on the way out – which means there’s no more wondering if you closed out once you’re home.
Drink are calculated per ounce and vary, with some drinks costing as little as $0.20 per ounce and some as much as $3 per ounce.
And while drinks are completely self-serve, there are rules.
/2024/01/05/1704474137687.jpg)
Per North Carolina law, each customer is limited to 32 ounces per wristband, which calculates how much you pour each time you step up to a tap, and remaining ounces are displayed on the tablets. At 0, customers must see the staff, who can say no, to get more. It’s Hoppin’s way of making sure nobody has too much.
iPourIt also offers a mobile app (available, for now, only for Android devices via Google Play) that links with the wristband, allowing users to rate and comment on drinks, see what those in their network are drinking and learn about what’s on tap, complete with a description, tasting notes, ABV and IVU, all in real time.