WILMINGTON — Two years ago, The Brewer’s Kettle opened in the old Esso service station on Oleander Drive. With a lot of love – and a coat of bright red paint – owner Stephen Henson has turned the run-down garage into a bar and bottle shop that has a regular following.
Early on, people complained about actually getting to The Brewer’s Kettle, according to Henson. The location is tricky to get to. If you’re headed west (toward Independence Mall), it requires a u-turn at College Road, or some clever back-roads maneuvering. Two years on, Henson said he rarely hears those complaints now.
“People know where we are now and how to get here and, to be honest, traffic is so dense, what’s a few more left turns?” Henson asked.
The store boasted hundreds of beers, many available as by the can or bottle on the premises, as soon as it opened, the trick was to get people to hang out. Henson transformed the parking lot into a covered lounge with heat in the winter and shade in the summer; the parking lot is home to several of Wilmington’s food trucks on many nights.
“It can be scary, right? You put all that effort and time and money into something, and you don’t know if anyone’s going to show up. But, we’ve got the the point where we’ve got our regulars,” Henson said. “Once we got a core group of people, we could build on that – since then, it’s been good.”
To celebrate, and give back, Henson is throwing an “Epic Anniversary Thing.” Henson is bringing in live music from Roy G. Biv & The White Noise, Cosmic Groove Lizards and Signal Fire. The store itself will be closed, but Henson said at least 10 breweries would be providing beer, most of it from North Carolina. Wine will also be available.
“These are great breweries, but their beer is hard to get in Wilmington,” Henson said. “So, instead of having to go visit Raleigh, for example, we can bring Raleigh’s beers to you.”
Henson said there will also be raffles throughout the day, with proceeds benefiting Animal Avengers, a non-profit founded by actress Shannon Elizabeth to protect endangered animals.
“We’re giving away Icon coolers, which are really nice high-end coolers. And they’ll be filled with beer, of course, so you can enter the raffle and have a chance to win those throughout the event, and the money goes to Animal Avengers,” Henson said.
The “Epic Anniversary Thing” will be held at The Brewer’s Kettle, 4718 Oleander Drive, from 2 – 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 13. The parking lot will be closed for the event to accommodate beer and wine tents and the performance stage. Henson asked guests planning to attend to “please Uber, walk, bike, or park at Hugh MacRae Park, CresCom Bank, Rogers Appliance, or Port City Dental Center.”
