When Mark Pottschmidt first walked into World of Beer it was in a suburban Florida shopping center owned by Stanberry Development.

“You had so many different kinds of beer from around the world in one place. It was very impressive,” he said.

So Pottschmidt decided to bring the concept to Columbus. “At first we were targeting locations at Polaris and Easton. Then I talked to Bill Schottenstein about the possibility of becoming a partner and the next thing I know, I’m signing a lease for the space in the Brewery District,” he explained.

As it turns out, it’s a perfect fit. “We’re excited to be a part of the rebirth of the Brewery District,” Pottschmidt said of WOB, which opened October 31st at the corner of Liberty Street and Front Street.

People leery about a franchise concept moving into the area should know that Mark has partnered with local restaurant veterans Cliff Madden and Darren Greene of the former 55 Restaurant Group and current owners of Polaris Grill. They vow to put a decidedly local stamp on this concept and have already brought in some local talent to make sure the place meets Columbus standards. Christina McClenaghan will handle the role of GM and Scott Forbes will take on the awesome responsibility of product manager. That means he will be wrangling 500 different bottled beer selections and another 55 offerings on tap.

All the beer makes it impossible to maintain a kitchen, so WOB will be partnering up with a number of local restaurants that can deliver food to WOB customers. Mark has already secured a commitment from his neighbors at Shadowbox, Columbus Brewing Company and T. Murray’s, and expects others to participate as well.

It’s a win/win situation: WOB customers get to choose from a big selection of great food and would-be competitors are able to expand their capacity.

It’s worth noting that this is a departure from standard operating procedure for World of Beer.

“This is our first downtown location,” Pottschmidt noted. “The partnership with Shadowbox and the other restaurants is also something that is unique to the concept.”?

Pottschmidt also anticipates that the beer selection in Columbus will be more diverse than one might find in the other locations, with a focus on local craft beers. Patrons will see local art on display and local bands will be booked on a regular basis. The city’s affinity for sports is not lost on him, as WOB will feature 18 flat screens and Pottschmidt hinted that many of their themes revolve around OSU football.

Liquor lovers might be dismayed to learn that WOB is strictly a beer bar, as they don’t have a license to serve the hard stuff and, frankly, the staff will have its hands full staying on top of the beer list. With more than over 500 different varieties available, there’s going to be a brew for everybody.

World of Beer
503 S Front St.
(614) 224-1962
brewerydistrict.wobusa.com