The Tech Behind Launching & Supporting Hi-Wire Brewing’s 11 Locations

Hi-Wire Brewing has been marching to their own drum since they opened their first taproom’s doors in 2013. They brewed lagers when IPAs were all the rage, branded products akin to the quirky Asheville characters around them, and began bottling for wholesale distribution almost immediately. In turn, Hi-Wire outgrew their first Asheville, NC space in less than a year.

Now, with Hi-Wire’s 9 locations and 2 more on the way, other breweries are wondering what they can do to scale at the same rate.

While the secret may be just that—more taprooms—Hi-Wire’s approach to deciding just where each taproom should be is really where their geniusness shines. 

How Hi-Wire Expanded To 11 Taprooms In Less Than 10 Years

The Hi-Wire team quickly realized taproom sales presented the biggest money-making opportunity, and set out to open more. Their domination of the Southeast craft scene isn’t a result of dumb luck, but instead of strategy, planning, and, of course, delicious beer. 

Strategic New Locations Accelerate Revenue Growth

In an area where breweries per capita has traditionally lagged behind the rest of the country, Hi-Wire continues to choose the perfect locations for new taprooms. But how do they do it?

Because Hi-Wire prioritized distribution since their start, the team can pinpoint cities based on where the most wholesale growth is. “We’re really focusing on our current distribution footprint, and growing where we’re at,” says Chris Frosaker, Co-Founder of Hi-Wire. 

And despite an otherwise somber mood among the industry as it continues to recover from the pandemic, Hi-Wire’s expansion further advances revenue growth. In fact, when Hi-Wire opens in a new market, they see “a minimum 30% growth right off the bat” in off-premise sales according to Chris. “We’re not just bullish. We’re actually accelerating.”

Hi-Wire Depends On Arryved’s Simple Setup To Launch New Locations

Once a city is identified and the space is built out—have you seen their gorgeous beer gardens?—the appropriate tech must be in place for any location to start making money. Since early 2020, they’ve entrusted Arryved POS. 

At the time, Hi-Wire had 4 locations, and a big selling point on the Arryved system was the ease of launch and use. After all, when growing at this rapid of a rate, the last thing Hi-Wire needed was a clunky system that’s hard to learn. 

POS Training At Each New Location Is A Breeze

Early on, Arryved would fly to Asheville for in-person onboarding. Arryved team members trained managers and staff on how to best utilize the service interface, reporting tools, etc. 

“Jesse has been my person since Day 1,” Christine Ferguson, the Director of Retail Operations, tells us. Jesse, an Arryved Customer Success Guru, has helped Hi-Wire launch 5 locations now. Having a consistent point of contact assures Hi-Wire that each launch is more seamless than the last. Plus, now Jesse feels like an old friend!

These days, when Hi-Wire launches somewhere new, Arryved no longer flies out to onboard (although they’d love to!) because the system is so intuitive. Hi-Wire’s team is able to quickly train the necessary team members themselves. 

And if questions arise…

Customer Support Is Readily Available To Help

Arryved’s award-winning support is the most trusted in the industry. With real people answering phones and emails 7 days/week, Hi-Wire can tap into expert industry knowledge fast. 

“If I can’t figure something out, customer service will respond to me within 5 minutes,” gushes Christine. That timeliness supports their fast-paced business, so Hi-Wire doesn’t get distracted or lose out on revenue due to technical difficulties. 

Arryved Assists Daily Profit Maximization Efforts

Launching a new location is just the start of Hi-Wire’s pending revenue growth. Arryved’s ease of use translates into everyday tasks, too!

Arryved’s POS Interface Makes For Fast Service

Hi-Wire runs counter service, and utilizes Arryved’s stationary tablets at the bar to collect orders and payments. A dynamic, customizable menu setup lets staff add items to tabs quickly, so the line keeps moving and guests keep drinking.

Digital card on file is a real crowd pleaser, too. Staff swipe cards, hand them back, and guests order round after round without having to forfeit a card to the dreaded rolodex. All tabs automatically close with standard gratuity every night, so there’s no added work for staff, either. 

Marketing Tools Help Hi-Wire Throw Awesome Events

Of course, Hi-Wire carefully curates their event calendars to maximize growth, too. When an idea is presented, such as their highly sought-after Competitive Puzzle Night, Hi-Wire experiments across locations to see what programming works better where. With the help of Arryved Sales Reporting as well as anecdotal evidence—having to require sign ups for the puzzle lovers they awakened—each location is able to tell which events resulted in the highest profits.

Arryved also helps set up Hi-Wire for future event success. Upon closing a tab at Hi-Wire, guests are presented with a seamless opt-in option to hear about events, releases, and other special happenings. Taproom managers at each location use the collected emails to stay in touch with guests via a monthly Brews-letter, which engages the surrounding community and keeps Hi-Wire top of mind for their fanbase. 

So the next time you’re in North Carolina (or Alabama or Tennessee or Kentucky or Ohio) be sure to bring your favorite puzzle and a hankering for some of the Southeast’s most popular beer.