Not Your Typical Pub, But It Fits the Criteria

For guys like The PubScout who have a primal attraction to taverns and pubs, there really is no need for ancillary entertainment beyond interaction with the barman or the guy on the next stool over. The atmosphere IS the entertainment and has been so for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Some venues, of course, rely on musical entertainment or a thousand large-screen digital TV's to provide distraction, but the bottom line is that a beer drinker could listen to music and watch TV at home--and do it far more cheaply than going out, and without risking DUI involvement.

But they don't. Why? Because there are other people at pubs to share experiences with, and humans need to interact with each other. Sure, there are times when it's wonderful to sit in front of your roaring fireplace (another primal drive) with a beautiful Belgian Quad or a high-ABV Barleywine or stout. But unless you're a hermit, drinking alone shouldn't be your go-to move. There are people out there.

And there are people--plenty of them--out at the brand new, multi-million dollar Topgolf facility on Rt. 1 in Edison. Six hundred of those people at Edison are employees of the Texas-based company, but the rest are folks who are attracted to a very tall building with three levels of climate controlled "bays," a huge, fenced-in backyard with lit targets, golf balls, golf clubs and the availability of good victual and good beverage.

In his younger days, The PubScout was an avid hacker (golfer would be disingenuous), but the cost of buying brand new Titleists after every outing to replace the ones I lost did not mix well with providing for a growing family. So the golf clubs were shelved.

And they are shelved at Topgolf as well. For just a $5 "Lifetime" membership fee, you can have access to an amazing facility that in addition to allowing you to hit golf balls without having to retrieve them, will sponsor your corporate meetings, help you build teams and fundraise, celebrate your birthday or holiday, give you a space for holding a bachelor or bachelorette party, bar and bat mitzvahs, rehearsal dinners, and, according to the delightful marketing manager Kristen Jerome, even host your wedding.

It's a high-tech playground, certainly, and though just open a month, it appears to be attracting curious crowds and dedicated golfers who want to practice in the winter without freezing their--um, body parts.

But what does such a playground have to do with Good Pubs, Good Beer and Good People--the PubScout's raison d'être? My youngest son applied to work there, and, knowing what I do, he came home telling me that the beer list was quite interesting. And that it was a "cool place." Looking at the pic above, I'd have to concur.

So off I went to chat with the energetic and personable Kristen, who told me the amazing story of the Jolliffe brothers. They got the idea for a "trackable" golf ball from a microchip in a dog collar. After much painstaking leg and lab work (no successful business comes into being without it), they eventually opened up the first Topgolf facility in Alexandria, VA. Their collection has grown to thirty-one, and their business model declares that all Topgolf locations offer a consistent customer experience.

Part of that experience is in food and beer. And the beer list at the Edison facility was pretty impressive, even including beers from local Jersey breweries. But how do those beers get selected?

According to Kristen and Chad Clements, " A group from our management team does local research to decide which craft beers are put on tap. The management team really enjoys being able to get feedback from the community so we can bring in products that the locals enjoy and want to see. Management is given the opportunity to select and highlight local beers. It allows us to be a part of the community which is something we’re really proud of."

And what kind of research goes into selecting the beers TopGolf will offer? We do a lot of research both online and within the community to find local pubs and breweries for flavor selection. We really want to make sure we are providing variety along with community favorites. We’ve also built trusting relationships with a lot of local vendors who give great insight to what is popular locally.We do try to incorporate local regional beers from New Jersey and from local connecting states too. Again, we want to bring in product that people enjoy but we also want to have a unique selection for people to choose from. We rotate the beer selection seasonally so there is plenty of opportunity for pubs and breweries to have their beer featured.

And get this: "Topgolf offers the opportunity for pubs or breweries to host special events that can showcase their beer or product. A great example of this would be a launch party. Topgolf is such a unique venue and makes the perfect host for any type of event. The guests who are attending the event are welcome to take part in tastings!

Imagine that: an entertainment company that invites local breweries to come in to showcase their products! That's definitely thinking out of the box--or bay, as the case may be. I would hope Jersey Breweries are ready to take advantage.

Kristen allowed that the busiest times are Fridays and Saturday nights. And it's not hard to see why. Topgolf looks like a fun place to play, have a few good beers and and good food (Kristen, a Jersey girl from Old Bridge, loves the southern-influenced Chicken and Waffles. Go figure.)

Sure, I suppose you could go alone, but based upon what I saw, it's probably more fun to go with a group.

But how cool would it be to, you know, get some brewers to come down with their best beers and offer tastings and education along with some of Executive Chef Koby Grace's food to beer lovers. Then maybe have a golf-ball hitting contest. Or, if we're down on the first level, we could play some pool, though you have to leave your driver's license at the desk, because the billiard balls don't have tracking devices in them. Topgolf, unlike yours truly, is not in the business of losing balls.

But it is in the business of fun and interaction, which makes it technically a "Good Pub" and if they serve good beer and have good people, they qualify for a write-up here.

I might have to go whack a few, with no guarantees as to where they will go.

But it's nice to know I can't lose them. And that I can get good beer when I'm done.

Cheers!

The PubScout