One of the most urgent questions brewery operators face today is how to get more people into their taprooms.
The answers have shifted in recent years. In 2019, hyping a beer release might’ve been enough to do the trick. As we get into 2025, however, customers need more motivation—they can drink great beer at home, so what else can you offer?
Often, the answer lies in planning compelling events.
“Since the pandemic, everyone’s lives have become more at-home,” says Timothy Arsenault, founder of Bonsai Bar, which brings bonsai classes to brewery taprooms, wineries, and other venues. The team has members in Florida, New England, and on the West Coast. Arsenault says Bonsai Bar has proven to be a great taproom-traffic motivator because it’s such a new concept—most people have never learned to groom bonsai trees at all, let alone in a brewery.
“People aren’t coming home from work and passing a brewery; they’re home and need to leave to go out,” he says. “So, why are they going out? You need to do more to get them out.”