A pioneering craft beer bar in Raleigh has new owners. Here’s what’s next
An influential beer bar and bottle shop in Raleigh is changing hands after more than a decade in business.
State of Beer, the craft beer destination from the folks at Trophy Brewing, has been sold to North South Hospitality, the owners of the popular bar and restaurant Gussie’s and the wine shop The Hippo.
Trophy Brewing announced the sale in a social media post.
“We wanted to build a place where we could share our passion for craft beer, small wineries and cideries with people who would share in our excitement,” the owners wrote in an Instagram post on the State of Beer page. “State of Beer is embedded in the F & B scene here in Raleigh and is a beacon of craft for brewers, winemakers & cider makers across the country.”
State of Beer: Looking back, looking forward
State of Beer opened in 2014 at a very different time in North Carolina’s craft beer scene. Trophy Brewing was barely a year old and State of Beer became one of the very few craft beer bottle shops where fans could find and taste beers from small breweries around the country.
The bottle shop also championed natural wine, served popular sandwiches and hosted beermakers from acclaimed breweries.
The future of the original State of Beer at 401 Hillsborough was up in the air, as of a year and a half ago, when Trophy opened a second State of Beer location alongside its new Bend Bar on Morgan Street in Raleigh. The original State of Beer location was the only Trophy property where the brewery didn’t own the real estate.
Now Trophy will rebrand the space alongside The Bend Bar, co-owner Chris Powers said, while the original State of Beer will get a new lease on life on Hillsborough Street.
“So, we are happy to announce, that as of (Monday), we are passing the torch at 401 Hillsborough St to our friends from down the street North South Hospitality and that State of Beer will live on,” Trophy said in its social media post. “We know they will be incredible stewards of the beloved State of Beer as it enters a new era.”
North South Hospitality has quickly built a reputation in Raleigh for neighborhood spots. It debuted in 2023 with Gussie’s, a casual bar and restaurant on Morgan Street. It later bought The Hippo Wine Bar on Martin Street in Raleigh in the former Short Walk Wines space. The restaurant group is made up of Katie and Clayton O’Kane and Vance Daniels.
