Ryan and Rebekah Hargrove
Heaven & Ale Cambridge Square is changing its name, but not its mission to bring quality craft beer in a traditional pub environment to its customers in Ooltewah. Owners Ryan and Rebekah Hargrove announced that their location’s brand will transition to Hoptown Beer Bar this month with their grand opening celebration spanning Friday through Sunday.
Celebration attendees will be able to sample some rare craft beers, check out new merchandise, and visit with the staff and owners to see what’s on tap for the future.
The Hargroves opened their Cambridge Square craft beer location in 2015 and quickly became the destination of choice for beer drinkers throughout the Ooltewah area.
The name change reflects the couple’s desire to build their own independent brand, while also reflecting Mr. Hargrove’s home town of Hopkinsville, Kentucky which is often referred to as “Hoptown” by locals. The new brand’s logo features a water tower which is a symbol of the Hargrove’s commitment to the local community.
“We liked the play on words with the new name direction, and I liked paying tribute to my hometown — community is very important to Rebekah and to me,” Mr. Hargrove said. “But most importantly we want our customers to know that they can continue to count on superior service, a wide assortment of beers both familiar and new, and the same fun, relaxed atmosphere they have come to enjoy over the past five years. We can’t express enough how much we appreciate our loyal customers, particularly over the last few months.”
The Hargroves were some of Cambridge Square’s first tenants and helped to expand the new community’s dynamic and appeal to a broader audience. Their current staff — several of whom have been involved from the concept’s early days — will remain through the brand transition.
“We had a lot of people tell us that Ooltewah was not ready for a craft beer concept,” said Jim Cheney, marketing director at Cambridge. “If that was indeed the case, someone forgot to tell Ryan and Rebekah. They have built something very significant in a relatively short period of time and we’re fortunate that they chose Cambridge to launch their venture. It’s the local ownership story we love to hear.”