Hannah Whitney & Alisa Tanner-Wall of Forsyth County on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Hannah Whitney & Alisa Tanner-Wall shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hannah & Alisa, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
The most surprising thing I’ve learned about our customers is how deeply they value connection and experience. In a world where so much feels reliant on AI or a screen, people still want that genuine sense of community—and food has such a powerful way of bringing that to life. What started as simply catering events has turned into building real relationships. Some of our guests have become friends that I’d happily grab a drink with, and many return to celebrate milestones with us again and again. Their families know us now, and we’ve become a small part of their traditions. When we first started, I never expected that kind of lasting bond, but it’s been one of the most rewarding surprises of this journey.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Cherry Street Special Events is the catering and events arm of Cherry Street Brewing, a family-owned microbrewery based in Forsyth County, GA. From the very beginning, our business has been rooted in community—we’ve always believed in being part of something larger than ourselves.
Alisa, co-owner of our Halcyon location, and Hannah, the Events and Catering Director, work closely to bring that vision to life. What makes us unique is our ability to create diverse, customized menus that truly reflect our clients’ tastes, cultures, budgets, and dietary needs. Whether it’s a formal plated dinner, a lively cocktail reception, or a casual buffet, we love tailoring each experience so it feels personal and memorable.
We started out focusing solely on in-house events. But when COVID hit, we expanded by partnering with other small, family-owned venues that shared our community-driven values. That shift has allowed us to grow into partnerships with about eight different venues across North Georgia and into Atlanta. Today, our focus is on continuing to build relationships with partners who share our vision of collaboration, creativity, and mutual success—while always keeping an open mind to fresh ideas and new possibilities.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Honestly, we never imagined we’d grow the way we have in this market. It was the belief of our customers, venue partners, and planners who really saw our potential before we did. They kept pouring into us with encouragement, feedback, and opportunities that pushed us to keep building.
We also leaned heavily on the patience and support of the other owners at both our Halcyon location (Cherry Street Brewpub) and our Vickery location (Rick Tanner’s). That first year was definitely tough, and there were plenty of moments where things could have gone differently, but they never cut us off. They believed in the dream and gave us the space to grow, and we’re so thankful for that.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If we could say one thing to our younger selves, it would be to trust your heart and speak up more. Neither of us ever imagined we’d be where we are today, we each had different dreams and paths, but opportunities came along, and we had the courage to grab them. Looking back, so many of our setbacks came from trying to make others happy instead of following what truly made sense for us. We’d remind our younger selves not to worry so much about outside opinions, but to stay true to your own vision and forge the path that feels right. That’s where the real growth and success happens.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Our friends would say that family is at the heart of everything we do. We both have a strong belief in a family-first mentality, and that value drives every decision we make. Everything we’re working to build is not just for today, it’s about creating something bigger for our children. We want them to see that hard work is an important part of life, but so is being present with the people you love. For us, success isn’t just about growth in business, it’s about spending intentional, meaningful time with family and showing our kids what balance and purpose really look like.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
We hope people would say that we made them feel special and worthy of time. For us, hospitality isn’t just what we do for work, it’s part of who we are. Whether it’s welcoming someone into our home or serving them at an event, our goal is always to make people feel loved, comfortable, and cared for.
It fills our cup to pour into others, to celebrate their milestones, cheer them on, and watch them grow. That applies to friends, co-workers, family, and even strangers we cross paths with. If the story people tell about us is that we showed up for them with kindness and made them feel valued, then we’ll know we lived our lives well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cherrystreetbrewing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherrystreetevents_catering/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-whitney-7763a71ba/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cherrystreetbrewing
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cherry-street-brewpub-at-halcyon-alpharetta?osq=Cherry+Street+Brewpub+at+Halcyon