“Without community, craft beer is just beer” — a statement referenced often within the growing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise system. The brewpub franchise was built for community, encouraging owners to take their businesses into their own hands, embrace the connection associated with business ownership and create a truly unique space for guests to gather and connect.
Nathan and Aubrey McCutcheon, the owners of Voodoo Brewing Co. of West Pike, Pennsylvania, and Mikey Shanley, the pub’s general manager, have perfected the model, hosting specialized events nearly every week that draw out sizeable crowds of craft beer enthusiasts, music fans, moms, Swifties, true-crime enthusiasts and more.
While the franchise encourages local brewpubs to host events on a consistent basis, the West Pike team has far exceeded expectations, and it continues to see growing success because of these efforts.
1851 Franchise spoke with McCutcheon and Shanley to learn more about their journeys with Voodoo Brewing Co., recent events and plans for the future.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Nathan McCutcheon: My family owns a waste management company and emergency response company here in Western Pennsylvania. We've been in business since 1947. I am currently still vice president of the company. My background has always been in waste. That's way different than a restaurant and a pub.
Our location was actually our family’s business. When COVID happened, the downturn in the industry forced us to close that location of the business, but I owned the building. We built the building in 2016, and we owned the property around it. In 2021, my wife and I were looking to do something [outside of] the family business while still maintaining my position.
We were looking for businesses to buy. We weren’t really looking at franchises, but in our search, we came across the Voodoo Brewing Co. and it was local to us. We knew of the brand but didn’t know much about it, so we filled out an application.
From there, we went up to Meadville[, Pennsylvania]. We met with [President of Voodoo Licensing] Jake [Voekler], [CEO] Matteo [Rachocki] and the whole Voodoo team, and really hit it off with them. We felt that they were people we could partner with who were good and true to their values, which were also our values. We started that journey back in April of 2021 and haven’t looked back since.
Mikey Shanley: I am a Penn State graduate. I have a bachelor of science in organizational leadership, and I also went to Berklee College of Music to study music business. From there, I moved down to Florida, and that’s where I gained a lot of the experience that has helped me be so successful with Voodoo West Pike. A lot of my time in Florida was spent kind of living two lives: one in the restaurant industry and another as a DJ. DJs are a dime a dozen in Florida, though, so my ability to help with the leadership and business side of things really helped me stand out.
When I came back to Pennsylvania, I realized that if I deployed the tools I had in my bag, I could really help Voodoo West Pike turn into something even more special. The beer is great and the food is great, but we’re not in the middle of a city or college town. Being able to plan something that will bring guests out on a Tuesday night, because they’re genuinely interested in what we’re doing, has been a huge help to the business and incredibly satisfying for me.
1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
McCutcheon: I didn’t really have one because I didn’t think of franchising as an option. We just kind of stumbled into the franchising aspect of it.
We’re not from the hospitality industry. With the franchise, they have taught us how to do the basic tasks of owning a restaurant. That makes it easier for us to start the brewpub, and any potential hospitality business, than it would be to start from scratch.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
McCutcheon: One of the primary reasons why we chose the brand was because of the core values of the ownership group and the franchise group. After meeting and talking with them, we knew it was a good fit for us personality-wise, as well as a good business for us.
Like the CEO, Matteo, says all the time, “Without community, craft beer is just beer.” I like doing things that are community-driven and creating exciting events that get people in the door. It’s great to have the revenue, but the connection is just so rewarding.
Shanley: The little decisions that we make every day when it concerns the community make the biggest impact. We’re in a somewhat rural area where things like punk bands and drag shows aren’t always the most welcomed, but at the same time, we’re not just here to bring business to the pub and ruffle feathers. We’re here for the people who want to come by and be a part of our events, support the community and connect with their neighbors. We want to show everyone that they are appreciated and we have not forgotten them.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
McCutcheon: We're planning to continue to grow our customer base and provide outstanding liquid and elevated pub food to our local community. We look to continue to listen to the community to put on the best events that they want to see and be entertained with.
Shanley: We try to do events almost every weekend if we can. Sometimes it’s something simpler, like a true crime trivia night, and other times it’s a very involved Battle of the Bands. We’re having a lot of fun planning things and genuinely tapping into what it is that people want to do and what they’re interested in. There are pubs way closer to some of our guests, but they come to us because of the events we’re planning. I’m excited to just keep planning and keep connecting with the community like we have to this point.
1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?
McCutcheon: Not to speak for Mikey, but I know it takes work. In our case, if we didn’t have Mikey on the team, we wouldn’t be able to have such successful events. It takes time, passion and effort to put these events together. We also do a lot of private events like birthdays, graduations, family reunions and even rehearsal dinners for weddings. It means so much to us that people choose us to celebrate those special moments with.
It takes excitement; if somebody doesn’t really care about coming up with these events and truly serving the interests of the community, this probably isn’t for them.
Shanley: I love what I do, but I love what I do because of where I am. If I were the general manager of a Cheesecake Factory or an Olive Garden, I know that I would not be as happy. The creative allowance I have here and the trust that’s been put in me … To be told, “Pack the pub; find a way,” that’s what I love. I love getting real-time feedback from the market and seeing all the signs that people are having a good time. Sometimes people come to us thinking, “Yeah, I’ll go have a beer,” and they turn into raving fans of Voodoo West Pike, specifically because of what we do. That has been the biggest reward for me.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?
McCutcheon: Having the right people in place is key. We wouldn’t be able to do this without the key employees that we have in place. I still have a day job. In order to manage my normal job and the brewpub, I need to have the right people in place at the brewpub and trust them to do the right thing.
ABOUT VOODOO BREWING CO.
More than just a brewery, Voodoo Brewing Co. is a community of passionate beer lovers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of craft beer. Alongside world-renowned “liquid gold,” provided directly from the brewery, local owners offer killer food, craft cocktails and hard seltzer in their community-focused brewpubs. Each location has a customized logo, locally inspired menu and consistent local events, allowing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise partners to become truly immersed in their communities. With 18 locations across multiple states, Voodoo Brewing Co. has already captured the hearts of beer enthusiasts nationwide and has proven itself as the fastest-growing brewpub franchise in the world. Now, it is on track to quickly grow roots across the nation. For more information, visit https://voodoofranchising.com/.
Voodoo Brewing Co.
SPONSORED
Community is at the heart of the brewpub franchise brand, and Owners Nathan and Aubrey McCutcheon and General Manager Mikey Shanley have fully embraced the value with consistent, community-centric events.
“Without community, craft beer is just beer” — a statement referenced often within the growing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise system. The brewpub franchise was built for community, encouraging owners to take their businesses into their own hands, embrace the connection associated with business ownership and create a truly unique space for guests to gather and connect.
Nathan and Aubrey McCutcheon, the owners of Voodoo Brewing Co. of West Pike, Pennsylvania, and Mikey Shanley, the pub’s general manager, have perfected the model, hosting specialized events nearly every week that draw out sizeable crowds of craft beer enthusiasts, music fans, moms, Swifties, true-crime enthusiasts and more.
While the franchise encourages local brewpubs to host events on a consistent basis, the West Pike team has far exceeded expectations, and it continues to see growing success because of these efforts.
1851 Franchise spoke with McCutcheon and Shanley to learn more about their journeys with Voodoo Brewing Co., recent events and plans for the future.
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Nathan McCutcheon: My family owns a waste management company and emergency response company here in Western Pennsylvania. We've been in business since 1947. I am currently still vice president of the company. My background has always been in waste. That's way different than a restaurant and a pub.
Our location was actually our family’s business. When COVID happened, the downturn in the industry forced us to close that location of the business, but I owned the building. We built the building in 2016, and we owned the property around it. In 2021, my wife and I were looking to do something [outside of] the family business while still maintaining my position.
We were looking for businesses to buy. We weren’t really looking at franchises, but in our search, we came across the Voodoo Brewing Co. and it was local to us. We knew of the brand but didn’t know much about it, so we filled out an application.
From there, we went up to Meadville[, Pennsylvania]. We met with [President of Voodoo Licensing] Jake [Voekler], [CEO] Matteo [Rachocki] and the whole Voodoo team, and really hit it off with them. We felt that they were people we could partner with who were good and true to their values, which were also our values. We started that journey back in April of 2021 and haven’t looked back since.
Mikey Shanley: I am a Penn State graduate. I have a bachelor of science in organizational leadership, and I also went to Berklee College of Music to study music business. From there, I moved down to Florida, and that’s where I gained a lot of the experience that has helped me be so successful with Voodoo West Pike. A lot of my time in Florida was spent kind of living two lives: one in the restaurant industry and another as a DJ. DJs are a dime a dozen in Florida, though, so my ability to help with the leadership and business side of things really helped me stand out.
When I came back to Pennsylvania, I realized that if I deployed the tools I had in my bag, I could really help Voodoo West Pike turn into something even more special. The beer is great and the food is great, but we’re not in the middle of a city or college town. Being able to plan something that will bring guests out on a Tuesday night, because they’re genuinely interested in what we’re doing, has been a huge help to the business and incredibly satisfying for me.
1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
McCutcheon: I didn’t really have one because I didn’t think of franchising as an option. We just kind of stumbled into the franchising aspect of it.
We’re not from the hospitality industry. With the franchise, they have taught us how to do the basic tasks of owning a restaurant. That makes it easier for us to start the brewpub, and any potential hospitality business, than it would be to start from scratch.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
McCutcheon: One of the primary reasons why we chose the brand was because of the core values of the ownership group and the franchise group. After meeting and talking with them, we knew it was a good fit for us personality-wise, as well as a good business for us.
Like the CEO, Matteo, says all the time, “Without community, craft beer is just beer.” I like doing things that are community-driven and creating exciting events that get people in the door. It’s great to have the revenue, but the connection is just so rewarding.
Shanley: The little decisions that we make every day when it concerns the community make the biggest impact. We’re in a somewhat rural area where things like punk bands and drag shows aren’t always the most welcomed, but at the same time, we’re not just here to bring business to the pub and ruffle feathers. We’re here for the people who want to come by and be a part of our events, support the community and connect with their neighbors. We want to show everyone that they are appreciated and we have not forgotten them.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
McCutcheon: We're planning to continue to grow our customer base and provide outstanding liquid and elevated pub food to our local community. We look to continue to listen to the community to put on the best events that they want to see and be entertained with.
Shanley: We try to do events almost every weekend if we can. Sometimes it’s something simpler, like a true crime trivia night, and other times it’s a very involved Battle of the Bands. We’re having a lot of fun planning things and genuinely tapping into what it is that people want to do and what they’re interested in. There are pubs way closer to some of our guests, but they come to us because of the events we’re planning. I’m excited to just keep planning and keep connecting with the community like we have to this point.
1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?
McCutcheon: Not to speak for Mikey, but I know it takes work. In our case, if we didn’t have Mikey on the team, we wouldn’t be able to have such successful events. It takes time, passion and effort to put these events together. We also do a lot of private events like birthdays, graduations, family reunions and even rehearsal dinners for weddings. It means so much to us that people choose us to celebrate those special moments with.
It takes excitement; if somebody doesn’t really care about coming up with these events and truly serving the interests of the community, this probably isn’t for them.
Shanley: I love what I do, but I love what I do because of where I am. If I were the general manager of a Cheesecake Factory or an Olive Garden, I know that I would not be as happy. The creative allowance I have here and the trust that’s been put in me … To be told, “Pack the pub; find a way,” that’s what I love. I love getting real-time feedback from the market and seeing all the signs that people are having a good time. Sometimes people come to us thinking, “Yeah, I’ll go have a beer,” and they turn into raving fans of Voodoo West Pike, specifically because of what we do. That has been the biggest reward for me.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?
McCutcheon: Having the right people in place is key. We wouldn’t be able to do this without the key employees that we have in place. I still have a day job. In order to manage my normal job and the brewpub, I need to have the right people in place at the brewpub and trust them to do the right thing.
ABOUT VOODOO BREWING CO.
More than just a brewery, Voodoo Brewing Co. is a community of passionate beer lovers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of craft beer. Alongside world-renowned “liquid gold,” provided directly from the brewery, local owners offer killer food, craft cocktails and hard seltzer in their community-focused brewpubs. Each location has a customized logo, locally inspired menu and consistent local events, allowing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise partners to become truly immersed in their communities. With 18 locations across multiple states, Voodoo Brewing Co. has already captured the hearts of beer enthusiasts nationwide and has proven itself as the fastest-growing brewpub franchise in the world. Now, it is on track to quickly grow roots across the nation. For more information, visit https://voodoofranchising.com/.
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