The environment is casual; the dedication to catering to local craft beer lovers is anything but.
“We love craft beer and what it stands for,” said David Vannier, owner of The Casual Pint, a neighborhood craft beer bar in Countryside Village.
Open for more than four years now, The Casual Pint offers its customers a wide selection of local, regional and national craft brews, including 30 beers on tap.
“Craft beer is supposed to be fun, and we treat it that way. We try to create a neighborhood meeting place where people feel comfortable and safe,” Vannier said. “Beer is part of our culture and always will be. We do what we do at The Casual Pint to open people’s eyes to the wonderful world of a handcrafted beer.”
Winning Insights from Our Winner:
Providing an Excellent Customer Experience
“We’ve been successful because of our people,” Vannier said. “Our staff go out of their way to educate the customer on craft beer. And provide a non-intimidating environment to help the novice craft beer drinker feel comfortable. We create loyal customers through our friendly ‘beertenders’ and smiling faces.”
Empowering Employees and Creating a Culture in which They Can Grow and Succeed
“Most of our staff are part-time, and this is their fun job. I could give many examples of people coming here to make some extra cash and share their love of craft beer who end up falling in love with the craft beer scene. And go on to find full-time jobs in the beer business,” Vannier said. “We promote sharing your love of craft beer with others, which is pretty easy when you think about it. Beer naturally brings people together and fosters that sense of community.”
Best Practice Tip
“Connect with your customers. No matter what you provide or sell, it always comes back to friendly, knowledgeable staff and making a good impression. Try to find ways to say ‘yes’ to your customer and be flexible with them. Treat people with respect, always ask for feedback and take any suggestions to heart, even though they may be tough to hear.”
The Value of Chamber Involvement
“Being a Chamber member has introduced us to many other business owners and helped start a dialog on how to better our businesses. There are many opportunities to learn through the Chamber, and of course, being a part of community is what a good neighborhood beer bar does best.”
Impacting the Community
“Male craft beer lovers are known for their facial hair, and there is no shortage of that at The Casual Pint. We participate in Mustaches for Kids every May, and 2020 was our third year participating. This involves shaving clean May 1, and growing a mustache throughout the month while pestering your friends and family for donations. Long story short, The Casual Pint in Countryside Village raised, as a team, $72,000 for kids’ charities! … It makes me so proud to be a part of something so special that will benefit thousands of children in the Metro area.”
Many thanks to our generous sponsor.
Premier Bank is the sponsor of the Small Business of the Month award. View more information or nominate a small business online.
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Eligibility for Small Business of the Month is just one benefit of being a Chamber member.