Hoppin’ is a pour-it-yourself taproom concept with five locations.
Before Rich Moyer was the CEO of Hoppin’ Brands, a friend asked him if he’d like to invest in a bar.
“My initial reaction was, ‘absolutely not,’ and I hung up the phone,” Moyer said.
But it was Hoppin’s technology, which would “eliminate a lot of the headaches of a typical bar owner,” that sold Moyer on the concept.
In December 2017, Hoppin’ opened its first location. The pour-it-yourself taproom concept offers dozens of taps to suit the tastes of craft beer connoisseurs and novices alike. Guests connect their credit cards to a wristbrand that keeps track of how much beer a customer pours.
“We really push local and regional [beers] as well as nationally and worldwide beers and drinks and wines,” Moyer said. “For our franchisees, they get the full control of their tap wall. We will support them on what sells best nationally and what may sell best in their region. But at the end of the day, we want them to focus on what’s really selling good in their territory.”
Moyer is an experienced entrepreneur who started his first company, Oneliance Group, at 26 years old. The organization acts as a central point of contact for building and construction managers. Today, in addition to being at the helm of Hoppin’, he’s a co-owner of Two Scoops Creamery, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based ice cream shop with six stores.
Rich Moyer, CEO of Hoppin’ Brands
Hoppin’ started franchising in 2022. It has five taprooms in North Carolina, South Caroline and Texas, with another three slated to open early next year.
The qualities that differentiate Hoppin’ from a typical bar sold Moyer on the concept, and customers can experience the same.
“Outside of our technology, which is a big differentiator, we really pride ourselves on the experience,” Moyer said.
Unlike a sparsely lit, run-of-the-mill local dive bar, Hoppin’ prides itself on a bright, airy aesthetic in a space that “gives that more safe and clean vibe,” Moyer said.
Alongside the pour-your-own tap wall, Hoppin’ has a full bar for guests to order cocktails made by a bartender. In states that allow it, taprooms have cocktails on tap in addition to the full bar, Moyer said.
The Hoppin’ corporate team stay up to date on trends and “what creates FOMO” (the fear of missing out) in its target demographic: 21- to 35-year-olds. It also promotes private events, from corporate parties to birthday celebrations.
All but one of the taprooms partner with local restaurants and food trucks to give guests options to grab a bite. A Dallas-area location, however, has its own full restaurant inside, Moyer said.
The initial investment range to open a Hoppin’ franchise ranges from $1.13 million to $1.97 million. Royalties are 5 percent of sales, plus there’s a digital marketing fee of $4,000 a month, on top of a 2 percent national brand marketing fee.
The pour-it-yourself taproom category has a few up-and-coming players, like Tapster, which has five locations and another one the way. There’s also Tapville, which has just under 20 locations, including taprooms inside malls where customers can drink while they shop.
While hospitality experience is an advantage, it isn’t required for franchisees to open their own location.
“I didn’t come from the bar background or a restaurant background. I think at the end of the day, the most important aspect to make a business successful is going to be the people and your employees,” Moyer said. “We really look for great leaders. Whether if that’s a single unit, just a smaller mom-and-pop vibe where it’s just the single-family owner, or if it’s multiple units with a bigger group, we want to make sure that, whoever their leadership team is, that they understand that the employees are the most important people in their business.”