One of Raleigh’s most popular beer bars is moving to a new location. Here’s where
A row of houses near downtown Raleigh will become the latest bar for one of the Triangle’s most popular breweries.
By the end of 2024, Trophy Brewing hopes to unveil its newest project, a new pub called The Bend Bar and a relocated State of Beer, a neighborhood favorite for Raleigh beer fans.
Since its opening eight years ago, State of Beer has been at the center of the Triangle’s bottle shop boom, making some of the best craft beers from across the country and the world more accessible. Like Trophy, State of Beer is owned by David Meeker, Chris Powers, Woody Lockwood, Les Stewart and Rebecca Couch.
During the pandemic, State of Beer made a major renovation, using the former Runologie space next door for a new expanded beer hall.
But Powers said the original State of Beer building on Hillsborough Street is the only one not under Trophy’s control and that the move ensures the bar has a long life.
“Hillsborough Street is changing, there are a lot of big towers going up, so we thought it was important to have a longtime home,” Powers said.
State of Beer will move to 849 W. Morgan St., about 400 feet from Trophy’s pizzeria and original brewery. In 2022, Meeker bought a trio of houses on Morgan Street for $1.05 million, naming the project The Bend.
Powers said the new State of Beer and The Bend Bar are aiming to open by the end of 2024.
“The Bend is an opportunity to pull a successful concept into a new location,” Powers said. “It allows us to meet the changing landscape in craft beer and offer what people want to drink.”
While beer will remain the focus at State of Beer, at The Bend Bar, Powers said, Trophy is aiming to create a new casual neighborhood spot, adding cocktails into the mix.
Trophy is putting a pin in the third building, for now, with eventual plans for that concept to be determined.
Moving State of Beer will also allow Trophy to expand the food menu and outdoor seating, which is often in high demand at the original location. The new State of Beer will share a patio with The Bend Bar and have large backyard backing up to the railroad tracks behind Morgan Street. State of Beer will have bar service and a walk-up window.
Adding a full kitchen with a flattop and a hood will mean new possibilities to pair with beer, like griddled Philly cheesesteaks made with beef or chicken and, finally, Powers said, fryers to make fries. Beyond food, State of Beer will continue operating as a bottle shop and as one of the area’s top purveyors of natural wine.
Like the current State of Beer, the bartop of the new location will be made of reclaimed wood from a bowling alley and the centerpiece bronze panel that sits atop the row of draft lines will also make the move.
There’s no end date for the original State of Beer, so there may be some overlap, Powers said, but that it will eventually close. Powers said there could be two State of Beer locations for up to two years.
Details on The Outpost from Trophy
Trophy has another major project in the works, The Outpost, a new taproom and brewery in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood. Taking over the former Electric Supply Company building, Trophy is currently designing a 23,000-square-foot space, building production room, a taproom and restaurant.
Trophy’s Outpost will open next door to Cheetie Kumar’s new restaurant, Ajja.
Powers said the project is still in the design phase and that construction will being later this year. Look for the new Trophy, the brewery’s third brewing location in Raleigh, to open next year.
This story was originally published January 23, 2024 at 5:55 AM with the headline "One of Raleigh’s most popular beer bars is moving to a new location. Here’s where."
