Today we’d like to introduce you to Trace Pleicones.
Trace, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
So Gb’s Bottle Shop was spawned off of our beer bar and restaurant, Gnarly Barley. We had been open for about four years and we had been trying to, unsuccessfully, expand our restaurant and we kept hitting snags with the county, so we took the funds and decided to open our version of the beer concept that we had seen and loved while traveling and that was a craft beer store. It was pretty much the first of its kind in Orlando proper, and so that alone helped it take off. There were so many great beer bars but we saw a void in the retail experience. There was a multitude of craft beer products hitting the market and we noticed the traditional liquor and package stores couldn’t keep up with the knowledge of these new brands coming in so we wanted to create the beer shopping experience that we would want as customers with knowledgeable staff, and the opportunity to sample products and so on and so forth. In the years since we’ve been able to keep honing the experience and add great elements to the bar side of the business. The Ivanhoe neighborhood has been rapidly expanding around us and we just couldn’t be in a better place.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think when you’re bringing any new concept in there are going to be challenging. We weren’t introducing craft beer to the area, but we were creating a new way to purchase beer and presenting a retail and bar experience in the same room so I think we definitely had to sort through the confusion of how our system worked for the customers. We definitely learned a lot about communication with our customers by bringing them into something that, to them, was very unconventional and trying to explain how our price structures worked, etc. We’ve come a long way in almost five years, but we’re still constantly refining that system to make it the best we can.
We’ve been impressed with GB’s Bottle Shop & Tasting Bar, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a bottle shop and tasting bar. What that means is we are a specialty beer & wine retail shop, but also a bar. Our offerings include a constantly rotating selection of craft beers, local and foreign ciders, meads, and both traditional and natural wines. We sell our to-go beer in the mix and match packs, cases, growlers, crowlers, pretty much any combo you like to take liquid home with you. On the bar side you have the option to choose your pour sizes by the oz so you can try just a little bit of a beer or order a full pint if it’s something you’re really into. Our staff has an excellent knowledge of our constant and rotating selections so they can answer all customer questions and help guide them through the choices. The beer world is so vast that walking in and looking at a full wall of different brands can be really overwhelming so we really want to be there to remove the intimidation factor and let you enjoy the fun of just exploring different styles and flavors regardless of what you’re into. Trying different flavors should be fun, and we never want to drink new beers or wines to feel pretentious or intimidating. We got into craft beers by just picking out random bottles, popping them and having fun. We want everyone to be able to go about it the same way.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
If you’re into trying new things, then come check us out. We’re not here to sell you a six pack and ship you out the door. We want to get to know our customers, share a beer or two together, and enjoy the journey with one another. We want to talk about the coolest new IPA as well as crack some lagers and find out what’s new with you. It’s what we’ve always been about at work and in our life outside the shop so we hope it’s something you come and check out.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@gbbottleshop.com
- Website: www.gbbottleshop.com
- Instagram: @gbbottleshop
