The Billy G’s Original Hoagie at Guitars & Growlers comes with ham, salami, various vegetables and oil & vinegar. (Courtesy Guitars & Growlers)
When the coronavirus pandemic hit north Texas, Susan Elbedeiwy had only been running the McKinney office of Guitars & Growlers for about five months.
Elbediwy said she never thought the restaurant would close, but she was more concerned about looking after her staff.
More than a year later, not only has business picked up, but the restaurant is also posting record sales.
“The cool thing is that we get new people every day,” said Elbediwy. “That’s what we want. People say, ‘Oh my god! I drove by and didn’t know what that was. ‘”
Guitars & Growlers opened its first location in Richardson in 2017. Both locations serve local craft beer, cider, and root beer on tap, as well as a full menu of products named after famous musicians. Popular dishes include Cash’s Smoked Wings, named after Johnny Cash, and the SRV Meat Lovers Hoagie, abbreviated after Dallas guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan.
But the restaurant doesn’t just specialize in beer and food. Customers can purchase custom guitars from co-owner Rob Baker.
Elbediwy said the McKinney community gathered around the restaurant and made sure it stayed open during the pandemic and that support increased from there.
Part of this community has grown organically from the camaraderie created by nightly restaurant entertainment such as pint night and trivia on Monday, open mic evenings on Tuesday, music bingo on Wednesday, and live music Thursday through Sunday .
“We are a family-friendly restaurant,” said Elbediwy. “We focus on the community and support local artists.”
The bar regularly turns 43 taps ranging from porters, stouts, and sours to lager and IPAs. The rotation features new beers that local breweries want to promote, Elbediwy said. It also gives customers a chance to try different drinks, she said.
Beer lovers can use an app, Untappd, to get updates when Guitars & Growlers replaces a tap. You can also check in and rate beers in the app. Reviews are automatically displayed on large screens above the bar.
Elbediwy said she and her business partners plan to grow the business. You checked out the Bishop Arts District in Dallas, Denton, and Austin.
“We have a great concept and a great culture,” she said. “The big part is to find the right community that fits.”
Guitars & Growlers
2741 Virginia Ave, Ste. 500
469-714-0229
www.guitarsandgrowlers.com
Opening times: Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 am to midnight, Sun 11 am to 9 pm
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