'Jack's Bottle Shop' aims to be a craft beer destination

One of Rochester’s favorite restaurant servers has his sights set on opening a new craft beer store in the Med City.

Jack Lester plans to open "Jack’s Bottle Shop” this December at 909 6th Street NW, just a few doors down from his longtime employer, Forager Brewery. The business, according to Lester, will focus on bringing “some of the biggest names in craft beer to Rochester while also creating a space that focuses on relationships, knowledge, and the history of craft beer.”

With a nod to Forager, Lester says he plans to leverage his relationships in the industry to bring in craft beer products from across the region — and across the country. Breweries that have already committed to sending their beer down to Rochester include a handful of Twin Cities’ operations, including Fair State Cooperative, Modist, and Barrel Theory.

In announcing the new business venture, Lester credited the craft beer community for “lifting him up” following the most difficult experience of his life: the death of his eight-year-old son, Marcus, last November.

“People that I didn’t even know reached out to comfort and support my family,” said Lester. “They have helped me and I am forever grateful for that. I want to be able to continue that same momentum that this community has shown me by operating out of my own business here in Rochester and being able to give back in every way possible.”

Future updates on Jack’s Bottle Shop can be found here.

Cover photo: submitted