“Never fear going after what you want. The only way to learn is through experience,” says Daniel Leonard. And he should know. Daniel is the owner/operator of Gate City Growlers, a craft beer tasting and retail shop in Greensboro, NC, and an operating partner in The Bodega, a convenience store in downtown Greensboro modeled after the bodegas in Latin America. He’s also an operating partner on a new venture, River Club Concern, a brewery in Madison, NC.

Daniel and his business partner started Gate City Growlers in 2015. “We wanted to focus on small North Carolina craft breweries and rare beers around the country, so we built the beer shop around that focus. We used to drive ALL over the state on a weekly basis. Charlotte, Asheville, Waynesville, Fayetteville, Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Wilmington; all over the state, just so we could bring these beers back to the Triad [central NC] for beer lovers to try.” They have refined their selection over the years from their “extensive tasting research,” and now have a team of people who travel to find beer options they can’t get in their hometown.

Daniel then opened The Bodega in February 2020 with his partner. Nearly a year later, “we opened up the world to the deliciousness of bodega sandwiches.” Daniel says The Bodega’s goal is to offer the best service. “The design is on point, the energy is right, and the food is drooled over,” he says. “Whether you want a special sandwich with allergy concerns, want a certain type of beer/wine, or just candy and snacks, we got you.”