Potent Potables, Jamestown, NC

What a great name! It just sounds like a fun place. On a whim, I purchased a Living Social coupon for my hubby to do a craft beer tasting. I had never heard of the place, but it was only a half hour away, so I thought it would be a fun thing to do on a day when we had nothing going on.

Yesterday was another rainy Saturday, so I presented the voucher to my spouse and suggested we check it out. For some dumb reason I thought the tasting was for 2 people, but it wasn't. I called ahead to be sure. The lovely lady who answered the phone assured me that one tasting was sufficient for 2 people. The samples were very generous in her opinion. The coupon was for four samplers and a pint of the beer of your choice. Being that some craft beer has an alcohol content at over 10%, we decided she was probably correct. With our big black dog in the back of my vehicle, we headed down the road the Jamestown.

Jamestown was first settled in the 1700's by Quakers. It later became a town, and was named after James Mendenhall.  It currently boasts a population of about 3,300 people in a little under 3 sure miles. In my opinion, this makes it qualify as "off the beaten path". It is, however, very, very close to the cities of Greensboro and High Point. Jamestown is very quaint. Main Street is attractive and has several eateries, watering holes, gift shops, a library, etc. The buildings have great character.

Potent Potables opened about three months ago. It occupies a building that has been home to a gym and a restaurant, among other businesses. Sadie Mays was a very popular restaurant on that site for many years. The new owners kept the sign from Sadie Mays and having it hanging on the back wall as a tribute. Potent Potables (go ahead, say it three times, fast) is a wine shop/beer store/gift shop/gathering place. Owners and spouses Steve and Abby have done a great job making the establishment feel very welcoming. Steve is the resident beer expert and Abby is the wine pro. They have a variety of wine bottle toppers, cork screws, bottle openers, as you would expect in that type of shop. They also have some yummy looking snacks and some very pretty perfume bottles. That sounds out of place, but they add some charm to the surroundings. When you first walk in, you notice a generous wine selection. Then you notice a large, inviting booth, and a table and chairs. As you walk across the store, you notice a fabulous selection of beer. There is a fridge with some "cold ones", as my husband would say. Look toward the back of the store and you will be pleasantly surprised. There is a wooden bar with stools, and a bunch of wooden tables and chairs. Each table has a deck of cards on it. They seem to be inviting the customers to stay and hang out a while. The bar contains an assortment of craft beer on tap. Abby informed us that the selection changes frequently. Don't rush off. Sit down and do a beer or wine tasting. Order a pint or a glass. Chat it up with the other customers. Get to know Abby and Steve. If you're lucky, you will be there on a day when they set out a crock pot with their complimentary Southwest style chicken soup. We were lucky. They had it out on a table, with bowls, tortilla chips, and cookies. One of the other customers told us that they sometimes have finger sandwiches and other  goodies. On certain days they have a food truck come and park outside so patrons can go out and purchase food and bring it inside to eat. They also allow you to bring your own food in. How great is that? They have all kinds of daily specials. Sometimes there is live music. This place is a little gem. I truly hope that the business takes off. It is so inviting. My only regret is that it isn't five minutes from my house!