Magic Bear Beer Cellar is a craft beer bottle shop and tasting bar opening Friday, December 3 in the Larkin Historic District (aka Larkinville neighborhood) of Buffalo. The shop seeks to promote the elevation and education of beer and offers a curated selection of beverages to enjoy at the bar or to take to go. Owner and Certified Cicerone®, Craig Altobello, will be hosting classes and events including beer tastings, pairings and opportunities to meet brewers. Above all, Magic Bear Beer Cellar will be a welcoming place for all to explore and learn about beer.
Magic Bear Beer Cellar is located at Millrace Commons, 799 Seneca Street, suite B, in Buffalo and is the first retail tenant to open in the new building.
“We have been diligently working to create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere at Magic Bear Beer Cellar,” Altobello said. “We have tested out both the space and our service recently to our friends and family and are excited to open our doors to welcome you. Along with getting our space up and running, I am extremely proud of recently passing my exam and joining the ranks of fellow Certified Cicerone®. I am passionate about beer and education and achieving this title is a perfect blend of both, allowing me to better educate others. We are focused on the elevation and education of beer and every detail of Magic Bear reflects this concept.”
About The Magic Bear Experience
From teaching beginners about flavors and styles to introducing a new brewery to the devoted beer fans, Magic Bear Beer Cellar looks to enhance the experience of all craft beer drinkers. The selection of draught and packaged beer has been carefully curated to offer a wide variety of beer types and styles. The Magic Bear Beer Cellar staff is happy to make recommendations based on customers’ likes and even create custom cases based on their preferences.
Non-beer drinkers will find an equally friendly atmosphere, with a selection of wine, ciders, seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy. A small menu of food options ranging from bar snacks to shareable meat and cheese boards are available. Guests are also welcome to bring in food from other establishments to enjoy at Magic Bear.
Magic Bear Beer Cellar has a semi-private area designed to host beer education classes, pairings and tastings or used for private events. A regular schedule of classes and events taught by Altobello will start in early 2022 with topics to appeal to all levels of beer drinkers.
About Craig Altobello
Craig is no stranger to hospitality or beer. He is a Certified Cicerone®, a title that identifies those with significant knowledge and professional skills in beer sales and service. A Niagara Falls native, he most recently served as the Director of Operations at Top Shelf Management overseeing (716) Food & Sport and The Draft Room in Buffalo, as well as properties in Fort Lauderdale, FL and St. Regis Falls, NY. A former math teacher, Craig put himself through college and spent his summers working in hospitality and eventually transitioned to restaurant management. Since the age of fourteen, he’s worked every position in the restaurant from dishwasher to beverage & bar manager to general manager. He is now combining his passions of teaching and training with his love and knowledge of craft beer to make Magic Bear Beer Cellar a one-of-a-kind experience.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of Magic Bear Beer Cellar in our Millrace Commons building adding to the growing entrepreneurial retail community in the Larkin District,” said Larkin Development Group’s Kayla Zemsky. “Magic Bear has built an intimate, welcoming space to share a drink in the neighborhood, learn from Craig’s expertise, and hopefully discover a new beer to take home and enjoy later.”
Learn more at www.magicbearbeer.com. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
