Now Open: Liam's Lounge + Cheese Shoppe

2
& lounge & cheese shoppe hours tues-fri: 5pm - late sat: 10am - Midnight T.W. ALLMOND, TW'S DESIGN GARAGE + BUILD ACTS, TALLAHASSEE TAPPED BEER STEVEN DRINKELL, FINE PAINTS OF EUROPE MATT TURNER, METAL FABRICATION + SALES + LIAM'S WOULD LIKE TO THANk: Don’t know Jackie Ellis Johnson? Oh, yes you do. Her creative touches are all over Thomasville’s most beloved eateries and retail establishments. A Thomasville native and University of Alabama grad, Jackie took a big leap at a young age, going into business for herself, and hasn’t looked back. With clients all over the country, she does everything from project management to merchandising, branding, storefronts and of course, interior design. Find out more at jejohnsondesign. com. How did you first meet Scott and Rhonda and how did your relationship evolve to this job? I helped Rhonda and Scott with the first remodel of Liam's restaurant four years ago, but I have always been a huge fan of their food {especially the truffle fries} and what they bring to downtown Thomasville. What special touches do you love the most in the new expansion? It is so hard to choose! We wanted every inch of the space to feel complete... from the antique pine boards, custom beer tap system, vintage lighting and navy lacquered walls… it is a very special space. What roles did you play in seeing this to completion? I am responsible for the interior design of the space. Rhonda always knows exactly what she wants so it is up to me to make it happen! She is wonderful to work with because she understands what it takes to create the visual experience. What, in your mind, is the most unique item in the Lounge & Cheese Shoppe? Melissa Rigsby [of Relic’s] created a custom light fixture for us that is actually made from an antique meat hanger. It feels perfect hanging over the cheese and charcuterie area. Who else did you bring in to help complete the look and feel of the expansion? Melissa Rigsby, Tommy Allmond, Edwin Rivera, Matt Turner, Jason Wilson... so many great people! What's next for you? Staying creative and getting a drink at Liam’s new bar! How will you look back on this project? It has been an absolute privilege working with Rhonda, Scott and the Liam's team. They are very special clients of mine and I can't wait to celebrate the opening of the new space! There really aren’t words for what Scott and Rhonda Foster mean to so many in Thomasville and how fine the line is between their lives and their work. It’s all a labor of love and so this expansion—The Lounge & Cheese Shoppe—is nothing but double the personality, devotion and ambience—plus double the spirits, charcuterie and cheeses that we’ve been packing Liam’s to the walls for years to get our hands on. The Lounge & Cheese Shoppe has a rustic, pub feel with its 100-year old barn wood, sleek blue walls adorned with antique embellishments and brass reading-room lamps. It has a 30-foot bar, 55-inch TV, 12’ x 6’ cheese and charcuterie counter, beer tap handles with characters from Where the Wild Things Are, a four-sided glass cheese cooler, a Shel Silverstein quote etched into the back wall, a meat hanger chandelier and more brews and spirits than you could shake a glass at. On the wall behind the bar are shelves dedicated to individual spirits: vodka, gins, bourbons, scotches, tequilas, boutique liquors and even a Georgia-made spirits section. “We said, if we’re going to do it up, we’re going to do it up right,” says Rhonda one morning, when I meet her over on the Liam’s side to go over the details. Scott, in his element, even before 9 in the morning, walks by with something in a ramekin that is so spicy, I can smell it from three feet away. Rhonda, looking mildly disaffected, gives him a sideward glance. “Can we try not to kill the staff today, please?” Worry not Liam’s-lovers—Scott and Rhonda will split their time between both venues. Rhonda will tell you the kinds of rocks the goats ate before their milk made your cheese. And Scott and Chef Tyler Bailey will still be making everything but a leather bootstrap savory {not that they couldn’t do that}. Speaking of Rhonda’s quest for the perfect accouterments, when it came to finding the right crackers for their cheeses, the struggle was real. “I’m telling you,” Rhonda says, “I tried the thin ones and they’d just break right off on the cheese, and then the thicker ones would just tear up your mouth.” She goes on, “So then I told Scott, you guys are just going to have to make some crackers. Tyler made a cracker the other day and it was amazing. I told him he’d better be careful because he might just be making crackers all day.” Rhonda says that Scott and Tyler are also planning on getting into the house-made pickle, relish and jam business, to accompany their cheeses and to be sold at retail—they may even dabble in house-made pâté and terrine. We love Scott’s tenacity to try absolutely anything edible—it’s up there with Bourdain’s, and like Bourdain, he loves to share it with others—by way of Liam’s kitchen rather than the television—and thank God for all of us, right? We get to savor it. Townie Tip: Make your reservations for Cinco de Mayo now. We mean drop what you’re doing and call Liam’s. It’s going to be the best one yet and we may have sampled some tequilas that went down like Agave-heaven-in-a-bottle. The Lounge & Cheese Shoppe opened on Tuesday, April 12. What are you waiting for, Townies? Go see what Scott and Rhonda have done. —Jennifer W. Rhonda + Scott Foster Create Yet Another Unbelievable Gastronomic Hub Jackie Ellis Johnson happy hour tues-fri: 5pm - 7pm sat: 3pm - 7pm craft beer 1/2 off all spirits $4 off house wine $5 three cheese board $10 martinis $5 The Cheese Shoppe 411 • The Cheese Shoppe has over 150 cheeses from the U.S., France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Canada, Israel, Turkey, Switzerland and Sweden—that’s 14 countries, and counting. • If you thought their selection was massive before the expansion, Rhonda and Scott have widened their cheese and charcuterie selections by around 50%. • There is a retail counter to the immediate right of the entrance, where meat and cheeses may be purchased on the go. • The retail area {and menus} will also have honey, pickles, crackers, jams and other accouterments available. • Scott and Chef Tyler Bailey plan to cook up many of the pickles, jams and crackers themselves. • All of the above are available for call-ahead platters, quick to-go orders, gift baskets, and special event setups that they’ll prepare ahead of time to feed from 2 – 50 people. • The Shoppe will also feature an expanded selection of charcuterie: craft salamis, hams—they’ve even got a leg of cured lamb prosciutto from Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, which has been shut down completely since a tragic fire in January. • To truly experience the four-sided glass cheese cooler {that is very likely taller than you are}, you’ll have to just come see it for yourself. The Lounge & Cheese Shoppe is now Where the Wild Beer Taps Are. Chum-slash-design genius, Jackie. Jackie, Rhonda, Scott and Edwin Rivera in the new lounge. Liam's Lounge liam's hours lunch: tues-fri 11am - 2pm brunch: sat 9am - 1pm dinner: tues-sat opens at 5:30 Cheese Shoppe Bellator Development N O W O P E N

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Everything you need to know about Rhonda + Scott Foster's newly opened, beautiful gastronomic hub: their vision, the people behind the magic, their expanded menus, before + after photos, new hours + more!

Transcript of Now Open: Liam's Lounge + Cheese Shoppe

&lounge & cheese

shoppe hourstues-fri:5pm - late

sat:10am - Midnight

T.W. ALLMOND, TW'S DESIGN GARAGE + BUILD • ACTS, TALLAHASSEE • TAPPED BEER STEVEN DRINKELL, FINE PAINTS OF EUROPE • MATT TURNER, METAL FABRICATION + SALES

+ L I A M ' S W O U L D L I K E T O T H A N k :

Don’t know Jackie Ellis Johnson? Oh, yes you do. Her creative touches are all over Thomasville’s most beloved eateries and retail establishments. A Thomasville native and University of Alabama grad, Jackie took a big leap at a young age, going into business for herself, and hasn’t looked back. With clients all over the country, she does everything from project management to merchandising, branding, storefronts and of course, interior design. Find out more at jejohnsondesign.com.

How did you first meet Scott and Rhonda and how did your relationship evolve to this job? I helped Rhonda and Scott with the first remodel of Liam's restaurant four years ago, but I have always been a huge fan of their food {especially the truffle fries} and what they bring to downtown Thomasville.

What special touches do you love the most in the new expansion? It is so hard to choose! We wanted every inch of the space to feel complete... from the antique pine boards, custom beer tap system, vintage lighting and navy lacquered walls… it is a very special space.

What roles did you play in seeing this to completion? I am responsible for the interior design of the space. Rhonda always knows exactly what she wants so it is up to me to make it happen! She is wonderful to work with because she understands what it takes to create the visual experience.

What, in your mind, is the most unique item in the Lounge & Cheese Shoppe? Melissa Rigsby [of Relic’s] created a custom light fixture for us that is actually made from an antique meat hanger. It feels perfect hanging over the cheese and charcuterie area.

Who else did you bring in to help complete the look and feel of the expansion? Melissa Rigsby, Tommy Allmond, Edwin Rivera, Matt Turner, Jason Wilson... so many great people!

What's next for you? Staying creative and getting a drink at Liam’s new bar!

How will you look back on this project? It has been an absolute privilege working with Rhonda, Scott and the Liam's team. They are very special clients of mine and I can't wait to celebrate the opening of the new space!

There really aren’t words for what Scott and Rhonda Foster mean to so many in Thomasville and how fine the line is between their lives and their work.

It’s all a labor of love and so this expansion—The Lounge & Cheese Shoppe—is nothing but double the personality, devotion and ambience—plus double the spirits, charcuterie and cheeses that we’ve been packing Liam’s to the walls for years to get our hands on.

The Lounge & Cheese Shoppe has a rustic, pub feel with its 100-year old barn wood, sleek blue walls adorned with antique embellishments and brass reading-room lamps.

It has a 30-foot bar, 55-inch TV, 12’ x 6’ cheese and charcuterie counter, beer tap handles with characters from Where the Wild Things Are, a four-sided glass cheese cooler, a Shel Silverstein quote etched into the back wall, a meat hanger chandelier and more brews and spirits than you could shake a glass at.

On the wall behind the bar are shelves dedicated to individual spirits: vodka, gins, bourbons, scotches, tequilas, boutique liquors and even a Georgia-made spirits section.

“We said, if we’re going to do it up, we’re going to do it up right,” says Rhonda one morning, when I meet her over on the Liam’s side to go over the details.

Scott, in his element, even before 9 in the morning, walks by with something in a ramekin that is so spicy, I can smell it from three feet away. Rhonda, looking mildly disaffected, gives him a sideward glance. “Can we try not to kill the staff today, please?”

Worry not Liam’s-lovers—Scott and Rhonda will split their time between both venues. Rhonda will tell you the kinds of rocks the

goats ate before their milk made your cheese. And Scott and Chef Tyler Bailey will still be making everything but a leather bootstrap savory {not that they couldn’t do that}.

Speaking of Rhonda’s quest for the perfect accouterments, when it came to finding the right crackers for their cheeses, the struggle was real. “I’m telling you,” Rhonda says, “I tried the thin ones and they’d just break right off on the cheese, and then the thicker ones would just tear up your mouth.”

She goes on, “So then I told Scott, you guys are just going to have to make some crackers. Tyler made a cracker the other day and it was amazing. I told him he’d better be careful because he might just be making crackers all day.”

Rhonda says that Scott and Tyler are also planning on getting into the house-made pickle, relish and jam business, to accompany their cheeses and to be sold at retail—they may even dabble in house-made pâté and terrine.

We love Scott’s tenacity to try absolutely anything edible—it’s up there with Bourdain’s, and like Bourdain, he loves to share it with others—by way of Liam’s kitchen rather than the television—and thank God for all of us, right? We get to savor it.

Townie Tip: Make your reservations for Cinco de Mayo now. We mean drop what you’re doing and call Liam’s. It’s going to be the best one yet and we may have sampled some tequilas that went down like Agave-heaven-in-a-bottle.

The Lounge & Cheese Shoppe opened on Tuesday, April 12. What are you waiting for, Townies? Go see what Scott and Rhonda have done.

—Jennifer W.

Rhonda + Scott Foster Create Yet Another Unbelievable Gastronomic Hub

Jackie Ellis Johnson

happy hourtues-fri: 5pm - 7pm

sat: 3pm - 7pm

craft beer 1/2 off

all spirits $4 off

house wine $5

three cheese board $10

martinis $5

The Cheese Shoppe 411• The Cheese Shoppe has over 150 cheeses from the U.S., France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Canada, Israel, Turkey, Switzerland and Sweden—that’s 14 countries, and counting.

• If you thought their selection was massive before the expansion, Rhonda and Scott have widened their cheese and charcuterie selections by around 50%.

• There is a retail counter to the immediate right of the entrance, where meat and cheeses may be purchased on the go.

• The retail area {and menus} will also have honey, pickles, crackers, jams and other accouterments available.

• Scott and Chef Tyler Bailey plan to cook up many of the pickles, jams and crackers themselves.

• All of the above are available for call-ahead platters, quick to-go orders, gift baskets, and special event setups that they’ll prepare ahead of time to feed from 2 – 50 people.

• The Shoppe will also feature an expanded selection of charcuterie: craft salamis, hams—they’ve even got a leg of cured lamb prosciutto from Edwards Virginia Smokehouse, which has been shut down completely since a tragic fire in January.

• To truly experience the four-sided glass cheese cooler {that is very likely taller than you are}, you’ll have to just come see it for yourself.

The Lounge & Cheese Shoppe is now Where the Wild Beer Taps Are.

Chum-slash-design genius, Jackie. Jackie, Rhonda, Scott and Edwin Rivera in the new lounge.

Liam's Lounge liam's hourslunch:

tues-fri 11am - 2pmbrunch:

sat 9am - 1pmdinner:

tues-sat opens at 5:30

Cheese Shoppe

Bellator Development

NOW OPEN

113 east jackson st.downtown

thomasville

229-226-9944

join usduring

due southopen all dayon saturdays

Shhh… look to fall for Liam’s Beer Club’s first ever Brew Fest… this is

serious business for you beer-drinking folk…

Psst…rumor has it that Tyler might be cooking up single-dish orders on the

late-late night tip… hot chicken anyone?

Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 14 for a tap takeover with Service

Brewery… proceeds to go to their more than benevolent causes…

Wanna hear the game on the lounge’s new 55” TV without the bar’s

background noise? …download Tunity, a free app that lets you hear what’s

on the TV through your phone’s headphones… don’t have yours with you…? Rhonda’s got disposables…

Whispers

liamsthomasville.com facebook: Liam's of Thomasville

&Liam's Lounge

Cheese Shoppe

Book the lounge for your private event. Call 229-226-9944