Upstairs from SmockTown Brewery in downtown Greenwood is Attic Hardware, a space envisioned as a 1930s-esque speakeasy with sleek lighting, a classic bar and a chess set.
At Old Town Greenwood’s newest gathering place, each level tells a different story.
Revelers entering the first floor of SmockTown Brewery step into a comfortable and friendly neighborhood pub, with a bar and decor made from reclaimed barn wood and repurposed metal.
But ascending the staircase into the spacious second story, guests enter into a swanky and elegant speakeasy, a place where people can sink into a overstuffed chair with a small-batch whiskey underneath gleaming hanging lights and pressed copper ceiling tiles.
“Down there we have the honky-tonkish bar feel, and then the exact opposite up here,” said Mark Sublette, co-owner of SmockTown Brewery.
SmockTown Brewery and its upstairs counterpart, Attic Hardware, have brought something for everyone to Greenwood’s downtown. Owners Sublette and his brother-in-law Ken Johnson have turned a historic building in the city’s center into a gathering place and hangout that they hope brings people together.
“We both have our roots here in the area, and Greenwood is like home for both of us,” Sublette said. “We see people in here all the time that we’ve known all our life. It’s been a blast to be down here in downtown Greenwood.”
Both Johnson and Sublette have deep roots in the Greenwood area. Johnson grew up in the city, while Sublette is a Southport native.
That is evident in the name of the brewery.
“Smocktown” was what Greenwood had formerly been called. When the first settlers arrived in the area from Kentucky in 1823, many were from the Smock family.
Their small initial community became known as either Smocktown or Smock’s Settlement. Only 10 years later did it adopt its more familiar moniker — Greenwood.
The idea to create SmockTown Brewery came together after Johnson wanted to be part of Greenwood’s downtown revitalization efforts. He purchased the building in the mid 2010s, and worked with the city to refurbish it.
Following the city’s facade project on downtown structures, Johnson continued to renovate the entrance and the back of the building. At the same time, he pondered what he could house in it.
Eventually, he came the conclusion to create a neighborhood bar, brewpub and speakeasy.
“I’ve been a home-brewer for about 20 years, and we see each other at family gatherings and talk. At one point, he suggested opening a little brewpub,” Sublette said.
Planning and preparations started in early 2020, and then later in the year, work started on turning their vision for the interior into a reality.
They turned the downstairs into a classic and cozy brewpub. For much of the interior, they used barn from an old barn that had fallen down near Amity, turning it into the bar and shelving
“People come in and say it has the best neighborhood feel, almost like Cheers,” Sublette said.
SmockTown Brewery opened its doors in October, while renovations continued on Attic Hardware into early December. An outdoor balcony and patio, with a view of the next-door
The brewery has already released its first brew, Stoatin Scottish Ale, and has more in the works. Sublette had always specialized in traditional ales — porters, ambers, pale ales, pilsners and others. He is currently brewing a series of ales to release in the coming months.
Meanwhile, visitors can enjoy a range of guest beers on tap, as well as wine and spirits.
Upstairs at Attic Hardware, the atmosphere is more refined, with fancy chandeliers, an old-fashioned bar lined with unique spirits and even a chess board.
“We wanted it to feel like the 1930s,” Sublette said. “There’s not really anything like that down here.”
