Photo via foxholeshorewood.com
Foxhole Craft Beer Shop & Kitchen
Foxhole Craft Beer Shop & Kitchen
When Terri Blahnik and Dan Gillespie lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, they enjoyed the social ambiance of bottle shops. These quaint liquor store-bar-eatery combinations, which came into being due to that state’s restrictive liquor laws, allow customers to sit down, enjoy food and drinks and purchase alcoholic beverages to-go.
When Blahnik and Gillespie returned to the Milwaukee area, the couple wanted to recreate that ambiance in their Shorewood neighborhood. They opened Foxhole Craft Beer Shop & Kitchen at 4144 N. Oakland Ave. on February 1. Foxhole features craft beer, a menu of approachable scratch-made small bites, sandwiches, burgers and salads, and a retail component with beer and wine.
The family friendly space features garage doors that open onto a patio where children can play giant yard versions of Connect Four or Jenga while parents relax with a drink. The patio has a firepit and is dog friendly.
“We wanted a casual option where people can come in wearing jeans or leggings and hang out for an hour before picking up the kids from baseball practice,” Gillespie says. Customers can also order online and pick up their meals and get a six-pack or a bottle of wine from the retail section to take home.
Blahnik has a marketing background and is an art director at an ad agency. She handles Foxhole’s social media accounts, and she designed and painted the orange fox logo. Photos of famous foxes such as Fantastic Mr. Fox, Michael J. Fox and Dr. Seuss’ Fox in Sox are displayed in the Fox Den seating area.
Gillespie had worked in the bar and restaurant industry for 15 years, at Bel Air Cantina, at Goodyear House, in North Carolina, and most recently as general manager at Buttermint, located across the street from Foxhole. While at Buttermint, he had noticed the vacant space.
The name “Foxhole” was chosen because they wanted the establishment to serve as a temporary retreat from outside world. It’s also a nod to the Shorewood fox sightings.
Recreating a Bottle Shop in Shorewood
Gillespie explains that in North Carolina, hard liquor has to be purchased from state-run “ABC stores.” Bars and restaurants are limited to how much booze they can purchase (beer sales are less restrictive). Liquor licenses are expensive. “And food is a requirement if you want to sell alcohol.”
Blahnik adds that most bottle shops have a counter or somewhere to sit. “So, it’s a retail store with a bar in it. It’s very eclectic.” One of their favorite mom-and-pop operations in Charlotte is Salud, which offers pizza and has a beer shop in the lower level.
Foxhole’s retail component offers everything that customers can enjoy while eating in. Gillespie sources the majority of beer from Midwest breweries, such as Young Blood Beer Company, in Madison. “These breweries not only produce great beers but also offer greater value, rather than paying for products to be shipped.”
Gillespie notes that fruited sours are currently popular in the beer world, and lagers are enjoying a moment, especially during warmer weather. Foxhole also has variety packs with different options for people to try.
“We don’t want to be pretentious. We felt like some bartenders have taken beer away from people,” Gillespie observes. “Beer is for everybody. If somebody likes something you don’t like, who cares? We carry domestics like Miller High Life, PBR and Coors Light. New Glarus Spotted Cow is always on tap.”
Bottles of wine are available for purchase in the retail area, or customers can choose from four options by the glass. A recent visit offered choices such as Wairay River Sauvignon Blanc, or Misfits & Mavens Pinot Noir, with notes of strawberry, vanilla and spice.
Cocktails, ciders and non-alcoholic options round out the beverage menu.
Food options, curated by Chef Trent Knutson, consist of Small Bites such as the popular Foxhole Potato Balls ($12.50), made from baked potatoes, mozzarella cheese, garlic and a side of roasted red pepper Foxhole mayo. There’s a variety of salads ($13-15), and sandwiches and burgers include the Sweet Chili & Bacon Burger ($16.25), Foxhole Cubano ($17.50) or the vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich ($16.50). Gluten-free options include the BBQ Pork Tacos ($14.50).
Fried menu items are hand breaded, and chicken is brined for two hours before cooking.
Blahnik says Foxhole will evolve as the neighborhood provides feedback. “We listen to the neighbors. When they wanted it more kid friendly, we added ice cream and outdoor games, along with more seating and tables.”
They’ve recently added bar bingo on Tuesdays and trivia nights. Foxhole is now open for lunch starting at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, visit foxholeshorewood.com.
