A modest homebrew operation inside a small airport hangar has transformed into an empire in the heart of Fuquay-Varina.
FUQUAY- VARINA, N.C. (WTVD) -- What started as a small homebrew setup in an airport hangar has grown into a thriving food and beverage empire in Fuquay-Varina.
Mark Doble, founder of Aviator Brewing Company, has spent the past 15 years turning his passion for craft beer into a local institution.
"This is the brewery. This is where all the magic happens," Doble said during a recent tour.
From its modest start with just three beers on tap, Aviator now offers 18 to 40 different brews at any time.
"We could have more if we wanted to," Doble said. "And with our short attention spans, there are definitely more beers on the way."
From Engineer to Entrepreneur
In 2008, Doble decided to quit his job as an electrical engineer and cashed out his 401(k) to start his own home brewery in a small hangar at Fuquay's Triple W Airport.
"I would open the big hangar door. I had a bar in there. That first night we had 12 to 15 people. And by the weekend, there was 150 to 200 people down there drinking," Doble recalled.
The success didn't stop at the hangar. In 2009, Doble opened the Aviator Taphouse in the old Fuquay train depot. Two years later, Aviator Smokehouse restaurant opened across the street, followed by Aviator Pizzeria next door.
While building his local presence, Aviator beer also became a global brand. The company recently reintroduced its products to Italy as an entry point into the European Union market. On a trip to Milan, Doble and his team were recognized in a bar when locals spotted their Aviator shirts, a testament to the brand's international reach.
A New Campus and Community Hub
Last March, Aviator opened a new brewery just around the corner from the company's Broad Street footprint. The five-acre campus features multiple restaurants and a live music stage, designed to be more than just a bar - it's a community centerpiece.
"As soon as I started here, I got the neighborhood feel and the family feel. The regulars know our wait staff. The wait staff knows our regulars," said Cantrell Willard, Aviator's executive chef.
Regular customer Gary Klinefelter praised the diverse offerings: "He's got a speakeasy back here. He's got the breakfast and brunch place here. He's gonna have a bar in that famous plane."
The Spirit of Freedom
That "famous plane" is a World War II-era Douglas C-54 cargo aircraft dubbed "The Spirit of Freedom." The historic plane played a supporting role in the Berlin Airlift, ferrying food to starving Germans in the late 1940s.
After the plane was damaged by a tornado, Doble purchased it and hauled it to Fuquay-Varina to serve as the showpiece of the new Aviator campus. Plans call for converting the aircraft's interior into a bar that can seat approximately 40 people. "It'll be a bar! Eventually! We'll get there," Doble said.
Locally Sourced Ingredients
Aviator Brewing Company emphasizes using locally-made ingredients. The barley for all of the company's beer comes from a farm just north of Wake Forest, keeping the operation rooted in North Carolina agriculture.
From a weekend hobby in an airport hangar to an international brand with a sprawling campus, Aviator Brewing Company continues to fly high as a North Carolina success story.
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