Craft Beer Bar Opens In Harlem, Report Says

HARLEM, NY — A new craft beer bar has opened in Harlem, and it's the first in the neighborhood that claims 100 percent African-American ownership, according to reports.

Harlem Hops opened June 9 on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard between West 133rd and 134th streets, The Undefeated first reported. The business is a venture of Kevin Bradford, Kim Harris and Stacey Lee, all of whom graduated from historically black colleges and universities, according to the report.

The idea for Harlem Hops started out of a necessity to travel out of the neighborhood to find good beer, the Undefeated reported. Harris, a Harlem native, was tired of traveling to Brooklyn to pick up quality beer and Bradford, of Detroit, had to resort to brining beer in from his hometown. The two linked up in 2016 and were soon joined by Lee, an entrepreneur Harris had worked with in the past, according to the report.

"I like good beer, and I couldn’t really find good beer above 125th. To tell you the truth, even above 110th," Bradford said. "I had to travel to Brooklyn. I had to travel these far distances to get beer I liked."

Harlem Hops' menu revolved around its selection of beers on tap, many made by brewers of color, and a selection of small bites, the Undefeated reported.

Read the full Undefeated article here.

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