Two Robbers, the hard-seltzer company, will open Burgers and Seltzers in Fishtown
The hard-seltzer company will get a physical presence, in part to build brand awareness. A good burger is part of the plan.
Breweries open pubs to serve their beers, distilleries open tasting rooms to showcase their spirits. So why, asked twin brothers Vivek and Vikram Nayar, can’t a hard-seltzer company open a seltzer taproom?
Late spring or early summer, their Philadelphia-based company, Two Robbers, will open Burgers and Seltzers across from Frankford Hall at 1221 Frankford Ave. in Fishtown.
The brothers envision Burgers and Seltzers as a headquarters for the three-year-old brand: a boldly decorated combination of retail store, art installation by artist Alex da Corte, and eatery with a drink program set up by bartender Dan Greenbaum and what they immodestly insist will be the best burger in Philadelphia.
Burgers and Seltzers will also be a tasting room for unreleased drinks such as hard kombuchas, fruited seltzers, and nitro hard coffees. “It’s a peek behind the curtain,” said Vikram Nayar.
Two Robbers — named as a tribute (of sorts) to two break-ins at their Center City home while the brothers were conceiving the business — will not produce the seltzers there. It contracts that work to breweries such as Yards.
» READ MORE: The backstory of Two Robbers
When the Nayars entered the now-multibillion-dollar seltzer market in 2019, they didn’t plan on creating such an establishment. “But we didn’t think we’d grow as much as fast as we have,” said Vivek Nayar. Two Robbers is now sold in 4,000 retailers, bars, and restaurants in 12 states. “As the business started to grow, it felt like it made sense to create a space where we could interact with our customers.”
It helps that the company raised $6 million in funding last year. The Nayars hired their brother Ashok Nayar and London-based Robert Storey to create a family friendly outdoor space. They will keep the building’s structure intact, including its garage doors.
Fishtown, now home to a slew of beverage businesses, seemed like a good fit, said Vikram Nayar. “Having a place where consumers could touch the brand — it felt like a good place to start.”