Hidden Gems: Meet Brandon Schenck of Yacht Club Beverage House

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Schenck.

Hi Brandon, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My wife Stephanie and I have been in the service industry most of our lives. We both share a passion for craft beer, wine, and making folks happy. We always wanted to open a craft beer bar that would serve as a vehicle for us to make a positive impact on our community and allow us to help those in need. In September of 2018, we opened Yacht Club Beverage House in an old house in Downtown Youngsville, NC

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
We were building momentum and everything was going great and then on March 17th, 2020 the governor issued a mandatory shutdown of nonessential businesses. Like everyone else in the hospitality industry, we were confused and scared.

We decided that day to convert our space into a small town grocery market, utilizing connections between the Triangle and Richmond VA to buy and sell hard to find items like meat, produce, dairy, toilet paper, and one-way jugs of craft beer, offering delivery anywhere in Wake and Franklin counties. With our daughter turning one, we did not feel comfortable waiting on government assistance to be able to survive, so we did whatever we had to in order to make it to the other side and provide for our sweet Betty Sue. Our community showed up and supported the heck out of us.

We owe our survival to the amazing Youngsville area residents who made Yacht Club their “go-to” for grocery essentials and take-home beer jugs. We are now back to doing what we love, which is providing a chill and uplifting atmosphere for folks to fellowship.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Yacht Club Beverage House?
We have a simple approach. Combine good vibes, family history, and delicious beer. The name Yacht Club Beverage House is a tribute to my family’s love for sailing, fishing, and anything coastal. My great-great-grandfather worked very hard and retired on his 70ft Yacht named the “Seer” in 1938. He belonged to 2 Yacht Clubs (Montauk YC and New York YC).

His love for sailing has been passed down for generations. You will see a lot of family heirlooms and photos around the bar and we hope he approves of the work we are doing. We like to push the envelope on what a beer bar, bottle shop, etc. Should be. Our Chillville concert series has exploded and we are so blessed to be able to offer the caliber of bands that play on our stage. We’ve worked with Salty Turtle Brewing, Lynnwood Brewing, and R&D on making some amazing annual release collaboration beers.

We don’t offer food but we share a courtyard with Charron’s which is an amazing family-run New York-style deli, and we welcome anyone to bring food in. The best part of YCBH is the community, it sounds sappy but it’s true, it’s a vibe.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Empathy. In this industry, you can become callused if you don’t remind yourself that you never know what the person that walks through the door is dealing with in their life. We need the customer, not the other way around. We don’t have to be perfect we just have to be kind.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Yachtclubhouse.com
• Instagram: @yachtclubhouse
• Facebook: @yachtclubhouse

Image Credits
Troy Pittman of Eye & Eye Photography