Creative Loafing reports this morning that the Brick Store Pub, along with the Porter Beer Bar, are making sizable contributions this year to help the Georgia Craft Brewer’s Guild get the “Beer Jobs Bill” passed during the January Legislative session.  Here’s a snippet…

Decatur’s Brick Store Pub feels the same way. In fact, Brick Store co-founder Dave Blanchard tells Creative Loafing that BSP is going to donate $3,000 to the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild. The funds come from a handful of private fundraising events held at BSP in recent years.

“We feel a responsibility to continue to push and be industry leaders in all bettering of beer,” Blanchard says. “Whether it’s trying to promote an obscure brand we are excited about or pushing for better beer laws.”

…Blanchard says the Beer Jobs Bill is the most important piece of beer legislation since that landmark ABV bill in 2004. Aside from increasing revenue for Georgia businesses, he says it will attract breweries from other states, and above all, elevate Georgia’s beer culture.

What’s the goal of the so-called “Beer Jobs Bill”?  The GA Beer Jobs website explains…

The Beer Jobs Bill will allow consumers to purchase a pint at a brewery and take beer home from breweries and brewpubs – these changes will help drive jobs, tourism, and economic growth that will allow our state to be more competitive in the national craft beer marketplace. And it will do this in a way that allows our breweries, distributors, and retailers to all benefit from the economic growth it will unleash.

As the map to the right – from the beer jobs website – shows, Georgia is one of only 4 states where breweries can’t sell beer on the premises.  Other states where direct brew sales are illegal?  North Dakota, Mississippi and West Virginia.

Photo courtesy of the Brick Store Pub website

UPDATE: OK, so apparently this issue is a couple months old.  Still sorta interesting though!

Kimball House, Brick Store Pub, Paper Plane and Leon’s all placed among the Top 10 bars in Atlanta, according to Atlanta Magazine.

Here’s their full Top 10 list, with the Decatur spots bolded.

1. Wrecking Bar
2. Kimball House
3. Brick Store Pub
4. Paper Plane
5. Porter Beer Bar
6. Manuel’s
7. The Sound Table
8. Blind Willie’s
9. Mary’s
10. Leon’s Full Service

Decatur’s Mac Magee (#18) and Pinewood (#27) also delivered a strong showing.

As to how they determined the rank, here’s the lowdown…

Each bar could score a maximum of 100 points—up to ten each for setting, food, activities, the mix of people, and service. Up to thirty points for quality and depth of drinks (this is a bars package after all). And finally, up to twenty points for the “X factor”—that ineffable quality that may defy easy description but nevertheless makes the place special. (Clermont, we’re looking at you.)

What do we think?  Seem about right or do you feel an inebriated rant coming on?

I noticed the Aladdin’s Genie skaterboard deck when I took this picture of Skateraid’s deck display at the Brick Store a week or so ago, but I didn’t realize that it was an actual Robin Williams signed deck.  I figured maybe it was just a nice quotation.  But apparently it was one of the last things Williams signed before he passed away in August.  (I’ve zoomed in on the deck from my original pic above, which explains the poor resolution.)

The AJC wrote about the deck last Friday, but it’s behind their paywall.  No worries, the Skateraid synopsis just as good…

This one-of-a-kind depiction of Aladdin’s genie, handpainted by artist Cody Gallo on a skateboard deck, was autographed by Robin Williams just a few months before he passed away. A lifelong supporter of children suffering from cancer, this autograph represents one of the actor’s final charitable acts. The piece is currently up for auction along with over 100 pieces of skateboard deck art.

“Aladdin’s Genie” is one of the highlights of the 10th annual SkaterAid festival and art auction benefiting the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children (now the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, Georgia Chapter). Gallo and his family have supported and volunteered for SkaterAid since 2005, when the passing of Gallo’s childhood friend inspired the community to create the Decatur, Georgia fundraiser.

Gallo eventually left Decatur to pursue a filmmaking career in Hollywood, where he landed a job on the set of The Crazy Ones starring legendary actor and comedian Robin Williams. Although far from Decatur, Gallo felt drawn to contribute to the SkaterAid art auction for the first time this year. His proximity to Williams famous creative energy and nostalgia for a favorite movie from his childhood inspired Gallo to choose the whimsical genie from Aladdin as the subject of his piece.

Gallo showed the piece to Williams, saying that funds generated from the sale of “Aladdin’s Genie” would be used to help kids and their familes fight childhood cancer. He explained that the SkaterAid festival and art auction have helped raise $165,000 to date for families affected by this deadly disease. When Gallo expressed his hope that this tenth year would be SkaterAid’ most successful yet, Williams immediately offered to autograph the piece.

You can bid on the deck HERE.  Auction price is currently at $2,000.

Don’t forget that Skateraid’s final festival is September 28th from 2-7pm.  Check out all the decks up for auction HERE!

h/t: WENN

Check out the great designed skateboards up for auction at the Brick Store Pub right now! From the Skateraid website…

Skateboard Deck Art
SkaterAids annual deck art auction returns! See the art through the month of September at the Brick Store Pub in Decatur Square! You can bid for your favorite through our online auction starting Sept. 1. But note that the online portion of the auction will end on Saturday Sept. 27 at 5pm – the evening before SkaterAid. Bidding will resume at the SkaterAid event on Sept. 28. In order to maintain your status as high bidder, you must attend the event or send a trusted friend to bid for you!

Cathy writes in…

Today is the day that we hung all the collected art decks for SkaterAid’s silent art auction at the Brick Store Pub.  They will hang from this day up to the day of SkaterAid (9/29/13 2p-7p) at East Decatur Station.  We invite the community to come by and look at all of our beautiful, unique and cool art work.  Our website is www.skateraid.net and there is now a link for the on-line auction that starts the bidding!

One more pic…

It seems like we could all really use a feel good story around here. This one comes from former Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd, who recounts a recent “Social Media Miracle” that he witnessed at the Brick Store Pub.

I am enjoying lunch at the Brick Store recently when a man–let’s call him “Tim”–walks in and asks one of the young ladies tending the bar to read the name on an American Express card he has just found on the street. He doesn’t have his glasses with him, so he needs help reading the small print. After some discussion about whether we can use the card to pay for my lunch :), Tim decides to search Facebook for the name. To my amazement, the name and a picture pop up. Tim posts a message on her Facebook page and waits. A few minutes later he decides to check in with some of the surrounding shops to see if they recognize the name on the credit card. As he walks down the street he sees a young woman with kids entering a car. He recognizes her from the Facebook picture. He taps on the window and holds up the card for her to see. She asks him, “Are you the one who just sent the message”? She has just looked for the card and has realized it is gone. The power of social media, a disaster for a young lady averted, and Tim is one of Decatur’s special Heroes!! THANKS TIM.

A snippet from a new post over on the Three Taverns website…

…I finally have the answer you and I have been waiting for, Three Tavens beers will be on tap Friday, July 19!

We’ll launch our two flagship beers, Single Intent, a Belgian-style single ale and A Night In Brussels IPA, a Belgian-style American IPA in kegs throughout Decatur and a few neighboring areas. We’ll kick off the evening’s celebration at at the Brick Store Pub, our official launch headquarters and home base. But the Three Taverns core team will venture out to other spots during the evening to raise a glass and celebrate with our friends and neighbors there as well.