Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Whitney.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have been with Cherry Street for the past seven years. I started as a bartender and loved the company and the culture. I wanted more and asked Alisa, the general manager at the time if there was any room to grow in the company. Once they expanded their Taproom, we started booking events through that space. It was small at first with some company Christmas parties and a menu on an excel spreadsheet! We grew the program there to host rehearsal dinners, birthdays, baby showers, and so much more. Alisa and her brother Nick then moved on to open their own concept of the brand at Halcyon. We did not expect events to take off there as much as they did but now we are the go-to for happy hours, company gatherings, birthdays, and engagement parties! When COVID hit, the events obviously also slowed to a halt. I did not want to lose what we had poured so many years into building. I asked Alisa and Rick, the owner of Rick Tanner’s if we could take our catering to other places. We had already catered to schools and office buildings but I felt like weddings and venues in the surrounding areas would be the best focus. I reached out and met with many venues. I stuck with venues that were like-minded in their ownership and mindset as we have. We now have a full offsite catering, bar, and day-of coordination service out of both locations. I am super proud of what we have built and where we are growing.
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?
Our biggest struggle, as with any food service establishment, was COVID. The learning to adapt and grow into outdoor venues and create new policies was the hardest part. I had not worked on catering to this magnitude nor juggled the influx of requests and working every event until we had enough that I was allowed to take on more staff. Alisa, Rick, and Nick were definitely the best at helping figure out solutions and work with me and trusting me to take their company down a different avenue they never thought about prior. We also struggled with staffing. We have called in husbands, boyfriends, mothers, and friends to execute some of these events due to the shortage of staff.
Every struggle has been a learning experience and we have really learned there is nothing we can’t do with the staff we have now and the families we have around us supporting me and this adventure.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the Event Director with Cherry Street Brewing. I specialize in catering sales and execution. We are known for offering a bar experience with our catering. We offer custom cocktails guests can make with a cocktail specialist, unbelievable wine selections, and our own craft beer. Clients can also choose to have up-scale Chef-inspired catering through our Halcyon location or budget-friendly BBQ-inspired catering through our Vickery location. We are a one-stop shop for the food and beverage side of your offsite event. We also are known for hosting our rehearsal dinners out of our Vickery location. We transform our barrel room there to fit the formality the client is expecting. I am most proud of the relationships I have built within the community of vendors in the Atlanta area for events. I am also extremely proud of where we have grown this side of the business and I can’t wait to see how much bigger it can get from here!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the small business community in our city. It is such a gift to find other like-minded and helpful people in this city. I know that if I have reached out with a question, favor, or sponsorship opportunity, there is a small business willing to help and in return, we are there to help them.
Contact Info:
- Email: events@cherrystreetbrewing.com
- Website: cherrystreetbrewing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherrystreetevents/ or https://www.instagram.com/cherrystreetbrewing/ or https://www.instagram.com/cherrystreethalcyon/ or https://www.instagram.com/cherrystreetvickery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=cherry%20street%20brewing
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cherrystreetbrewing
Image Credits
AmyJo Photography
