Sisters Megan Zernicke, Carrie Troyer, and Amanda Johnson love craft beer, but they never envisioned running a brewery. Especially not one in their hometown of South Haven, Michigan.
Growing up, Megan and Carrie couldn’t wait to move away. So the first chance they got, they did – Megan to Ann Arbor, Michigan and eventually to Arizona, while Carrie moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Amanda remained in South Haven.
Megan and Carrie returned to South Haven often for family functions, but always had to head to other nearby towns to find a good brewery. Over time, South Haven’s beautiful beaches, charming residents, and lack of traffic proved endearing to Megan and Carrie, who began to see their hometown in such a different light they moved back.
Still, one thing was missing: a brewery.
Their parents had owned the VanDerZee Motorplex in South Haven for decades, and encouraged the sisters to open a restaurant and brewery next door.
“We were probably drinking too much one day and decided we could do it,” Carries mostly jokes. “Breweries usually offer a more laid back atmosphere that's perfect for enjoying with the whole family – that's what really inspired us to create the same welcoming experience at Three Blondes Brewing.”
Three Blondes Brewing opened in 2018, becoming the first new restaurant construction in South Haven since 1997. SpotOn has been proud to serve as the brewery’s point-of-sale from day one, allowing the three sisters to spend less time crunching numbers and more time engaging with their staff and guests.
SpotOn’s reporting function is amazing. I am a data fiend so that really stood out to me. -Carrie Troyer
Carrie initially thought she’d be able to work at Three Blondes part-time, but on opening day she quickly realized she’d be quitting her job as a certified public accountant to focus full-time on the brewery. This isn’t what she’d envisioned as a teenager, but she wouldn’t trade it for the world. A little help from their point-of-sale and online ordering company doesn’t hurt.
“I had never seen a point-of-sale before, and as an accountant, lots of the reports from other providers seemed archaic and looked like they were from the 90’s,” Carrie says. “SpotOn’s reporting function is amazing. I am a data fiend so that really stood out to me.”
Nearly seven years after opening, business is booming with more than 50 rotating Three Blondes brews, a full food menu, and year-round service in what’s often a seasonal, tourism-driven community. Carrie and her sisters are honored to serve that community, the very one they once couldn’t wait to get away from.
“We realized how good we have it in our small town,” Carrie says. “It’s special to have created 3 Blondes in our South Haven community.”
