Groceries, Growlers and Growth
The story of the Casual Pint begins with Jon Robinette in 1976. That was the year Jon took up the grocery business,
landing a job with Harris Teeter Neighborhood Food & Pharmacy in Mountain City, Tenn. He began with the basics—
stocking the shelves, working the cash register and keeping the place cleaned up. Soon, though, he began moving up
the career chain, from co-manager, to store manager, to area supervisor, to area specialist.
Jon’s experience with Harris Teeter taught him what separates the country’s best grocers from their mediocre competitors—
things like a wide selection of fresh, high-quality produce, meats, and other perishables. A world-class store is always clean,
well-lighted, and easy to get around in. It is well staffed with helpful and friendly professionals who ensure that questions
are answered and checkouts are quick. And it has a generous selection of prepared products to make a shopper’s life just
a little bit easier.
Beer
Lovers
Where
In other words, when you go into the country’s best grocery stores, you find high-quality products without having to search,
you get out quickly, and you’re happy with the experience. Jon made sure to apply these lessons in 1997 when he became
manager of Harris Teeter’s Quality Assurance Department in Greensboro, N.C. As he moved forward, Jon worked briefly
as area sales manager for Giant grocery stores in Quincy, Mass., and for Food City as an area manager.
During this time, Jon’s son Nathan also decided to get into the grocery business, starting with Harris Teeter as an assistant
store manager and co-manager in Raleigh, N.C., in 2004. He later worked for Earth Fare in Raleigh and in Johnson City,
Tenn., and eventually took up with KeHE Distributors. There he sold products to Food City, such as specialty and gourmet
cheese, organic groceries, other specialty groceries, and frozen dairy items.
He was doing pretty well for himself, but it wasn’t enough. Nathan is an entrepreneur at heart; he needed be his own
boss. Along the way he had developed a passion for craft beers, those extraordinary artisanal concoctions created by small
breweries around the region and the country.
Craft brewers have the same obsession for uncompromising quality that Nathan and Jon developed in the grocery
business. They believe beer should be created by impassioned brewmasters, not by accountants and marketers. For his
part, Nathan dreamed of providing a gathering place that honors their vision and rewards their effort. Enter the Casual
Pint.
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Meet
With Nathan providing the dream, Jon providing the capital, and both providing business expertise, they opened their
first location in Knoxville’s Bearden neighborhood. That was 2011. The next year they opened a second location, this
one on Union Avenue in downtown Knoxville.
When you step into a Casual Pint you’re greeted with the same casual, homey atmosphere you find at your favorite
coffee house. Belly up to the bar and watch the game, or lounge around on padded chairs gabbing with friends. Get
a pint from the tap if you can stay, or a six-pack from the shelves if you’ve got to skedaddle. If you can’t stay but you
must have a tap beer, take a Growler with you to enjoy at home.
But what should you pick? That’s where things get really good. If you’ve recently
made the leap to real beer (as opposed to … well, you know), you might try
a crisp, smooth lager or a hoppy pilsner. You’ll discover that a beer can be
light without being boring. If you want a beer that’s a little more assertive, try
an ale. We’ve got mellow pale ales, hoppy India Pale Ales, and nutty brown
ales. Or, if you’re looking for a beer that’s downright pushy, go for a darker
selection such as a stout or a porter.
If you feel like experimenting, or you’re having your beer for dessert, you’re
also in luck. The Casual Pint supports some of the world’s most creative
brewmasters. We’ve got porters flavored with coconut, vanilla, coffee
and pumpkin, stouts flavored with chocolate and made with oatmeal,
and ales infused with apple, strawberry and honey. If you’re still
undecided, try a seasonal beer or a cider. Autumn is a good time for
Oktoberfest beers and pumpkin brews. Spring and summer are great
seasons for pale ales, India Pale Ales, and wheat beers. And, yes, if
apple-y goodness is your thing, we’ve got a variety of wonderful hard
ciders to choose from.
Step into the Casual Pint and you’ll find 22 selections on tap. We feature
breweries as close as Knoxville’s Saw Works Brewing Company, and as
distant as Lagunitas Brewing Company, nestled in California’s wine country.
Most of our crafters are from the Southeast, but we don’t hesitate to reach out
and get the best beers nationwide. You can find us in Bearden at 234 Brookview
Centre Way, Suite 107, and downtown at 421 Union Ave. So please, stop by and
relax. You have a personal invitation from Nathan and Jon.
Equipping The Craft Beer Enthusiast
© Casual Pint Franchising, Inc. 2013 • All Rights Reserved
Where
Beer Lovers Meet
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Welcome to The Casual Pint®,
As you learn about The Casual Pint®, you’ll recognize that we offer a remarkably rewarding career
experience, as well as a life-enriching one. The Casual Pint® franchise owners are given an unparalleled
opportunity to prosper financially while enjoying the satisfaction of knowing they are ‘sharing the craft
beer experience in neighborhoods one pint, one growler and one person at a time’.
We provide proven methods, experienced guidance, solid training and a supportive environment. The
Casual Pint® is uncompromising in the selection of franchisees, seeking only those who wish to join us in
our mission of spreading the love of craft beer to communities across the nation. Our continuing success
depends on our choosing individuals whose spirit, character and dedication mirror our own; those who
have a desire to succeed through service.
Your interest has led you this far. We invite you to look further, answering the following key questions for
yourself. Does the vibrant and fast paced nature of The Casual Pint® appeal to you? Do we offer the kind
of challenge you find exciting? Does the relaxed and casual character of The Casual Pint® resonate with
you? Do you see yourself as the owner of a progressive Craft Beer Market? Do you believe that you have
what it takes to succeed in serving others?
Beer
Lovers
Where
The words of Ben Franklin reverberate throughout each Casual Pint location, “Beer is proof
that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Our legacy is one of Hospitality; we are in business of serving others. The Casual Pint® offers a distinct
alternative to the typical bar, a place where people can come relax in a casual atmosphere and enjoy
unique and savory craft beer. We are not your father’s watering hole of old.
If you are ready to be a part of the legacy, then we invite you to join us in ‘sharing the craft beer experience
in neighborhoods one pint, one growler and one person at a time’. We
thank you for your consideration
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and we look forward to toasting your success the old Irish way, “May your glass be ever full, may the roof
over your head be always strong, and may you be in heaven a half an hour before the Devil knows you’re
dead.”
Meet
Yours in Beer,
Nathan & Jon Robinette
Beer Lover’s and Franchisor Masters
The Casual Pint®
Casual Pint Franchising, Inc.
9827 Cogdill Road, Suite One • Knoxville, TN 37932
www.CasualPint.com • www.CasualPintFranchise.com