E108: The Future Is Retail with Jeff Heck of Monday Night Brewing

E108: The Future Is Retail with Jeff Heck of Monday Night Brewing

Author: Small Batch Standard April 18, 2025 Duration: 45:39
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: retail is the future of craft. On this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Jeff Heck, co-founder of Monday Night Brewing out of Atlanta, GA, to talk about how his team made that shift. What started as a backyard homebrew club has grown into six unique taproom locations across the Southeast. Jeff shares the mindset behind expanding their hospitality footprint, the key decisions that shaped their growth, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Highlights include: * Why choosing culturally significant real estate is imperative to expansion * How Monday Night builds their culture across state lines with onboarding and local leadership * The huge impact solid food programs and private events have on taproom revenue If you’re thinking about investing in your own brewery's retail presence or curious on how other brewery’s are tackling this head-on, Jeff’s insights are worth the listen! Enjoy!

Every week on The True Craft Podcast, hosts Chris Farmand and Katy Noel pull up a chair for the kind of frank talk you’d usually only get in a private office or after hours at a trade show. This isn’t about surface-level success stories. Instead, each episode features a genuine conversation with a craft business owner, digging into the real and often messy details of running an operation. You’ll hear about the specific hurdles they’ve faced, the unexpected opportunities they’ve seized, and the tough, daily decisions that define life as an entrepreneur in this hands-on world. Created by Small Batch Standard, the podcast serves as an essential resource for practitioners who want to move beyond theory and into the practical realities of management and growth. The discussions are grounded, insightful, and focused entirely on the experiences of people who are actually doing the work, making it a unique listen for anyone building a business with their own hands. Tune in for a dose of honesty and actionable perspective that cuts straight to the heart of what it means to be a craft owner today.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The True Craft Podcast
Podcast Episodes
E101: “The Suburban Pub” Boom with Phil Humphrey of 608 Brewing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:18
Kick off 2025 with Episode 101 of The True Craft Podcast! This week, we’re chatting with Phil Humphrey, Founder of 608 Brewing Company in La Crosse, WI. From launching a lean startup in 2018 to opening a second suburban…
E100: 10 Insights for 10X Impact [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:52
For our 100th episode, we’re taking a trip down memory lane. Host Chris Farmand revisits 10 standout moments from past conversations, sharing new commentary and reflecting on lessons that continue to shape the craft beer…
E97: Brewery Acquisitions with Glenn Closson of Ivanhoe Park Brewing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:34
In this episode, we sit down with Glenn Closson, Co-Founder of Ivanhoe Park Brewing in sunny Orlando, FL! Glenn shares the incredible journey of how Ivanhoe Park transformed from a cozy 4,000 sq ft home to a booming 14,0…
E96: Playing the Long Game with Brad Benson of Stoup Brewing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:49
In this episode, we chat with Brad Benson, Co-Owner and Head Brewer of Stoup Brewing, about the evolving business model that’s driven their growth and operations over the past decade—plus, how it inspired Stoup Brewing t…
E95: The Business of Brewing with Marty Ochs of Resident Brewing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:12
Get ready for a lively chat with Marty Ochs, President of Resident Brewing in San Diego! Marty’s been around the block in the craft beer world, from on-premise at Miller Brewing to helping Ninkasi explode in size (from 4…
E93: Straight Shooting with Michael Memsic of Sanitas Brewing Company [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:07
On today’s episode of The True Craft Podcast, we’re catching up with Michael Memsic, Co-Founder & CEO of Sanitas Brewing, to give some straight talk about what the heck is happening in craft. We cover a lot of ground fro…