Butler Downtown’s Sips in the City returns for third time
Rain poured from the skies and drinks from the bottles up and down Butler’s Main Street on Saturday afternoon, May 3.
The off-and-on showers and ominous storm clouds did little to dampen the spirits of those who attended the third annual Sips in the City in Downtown Butler.
“I think it’s great that it gets a lot of people in all of the businesses on Main Street and it shows people that Butler is a very busy and prosperous town,” said Elizabeth Smith, who co-owns the Hobnob Theatre Company with her husband Ken. “If you haven’t been in a shop, this is a way to get into a shop.”
Their business was one of 22 stops for hundreds of attendees to receive free samples of wine, beer and cocktails from a variety of wineries, breweries and distilleries in a concerted effort to increase foot traffic for a number of local shops.
“I think it’s just something great to do in Butler and gives people a chance to get out to see the different businesses,” said Leslie Monteleone, who attended for the second straight year.
“They should do it more often,” her friend Kelly Schnur said, “and not just once a year.”
Along with their friend Sharon Higgins, the trio weighed their options with what sample drinks to try from Saxonburg’s Bastin Distillery, which had a popular table set up inside Tannin and Tonic by Porchvue Winery.
Co-owner Mike Bastin said the event has been a worthwhile opportunity to gain more meaningful exposure from other areas of the county.
“Saxonburg’s a small town, so a lot of people weren’t aware that we were even open,” he said. “So they come here and taste it and then they love it. Everybody has been saying they were going to come out and visit us.”
Bill Taylor, a sales coordinator for Boba Pops, set up shop in The Shops on West Diamond and received an ample amount of positive feedback on the drinks.
“If I had to guess, I’d say more than 200 people come through here at least,” he said. “Everybody’s been doing samples. We have a pretty good turnaround on sales. People have been really interested in taking some of our drinks home. It’s been really great.”
