The Blog

We at Warby Parker are unified on a few things. Parties: LOVE. Ping pong: ALSO LOVE. Costumes: likewise. But fruitcake? A casual poll reveals that the company is divided. Intensely so.

That didn’t stop us from centering last week’s party down at our Buckhead store on the holiday delicacy. (More in a moment.) To properly christen our store and maximize the fun, we ask our friends at The Bitter Southerner to co-host and called upon some of Atlanta’s finest to round out the shindig.

(If The Bitter Southerner is new to you, head on over right now. You don’t have to be of southern stock to appreciate their attention to beautiful photography and great storytelling.)

We asked three local mixologists—everlasting thanks to Greg Best of the Tipsy Hippo, Julian Goglia of The Pinewood, and Kellie Thorn from Empire State South—to create fruitcake-inspired drinks and mix ‘em on the spot for the guests. In sloppier hands, our big fruitcake idea could have been, well, not great, but the drinks were a smash—as were the pimiento cheese with bacon marmalade (WE KNOW) and other eats from Empire State South, the photo booth (of course), music from DJ Jesse Pearson, and booklets of the evening’s recipes for guests.

Kellie Thorn from Empire State South mixing her drink, “Pillow Perk”

We take our parties seriously.

Photography by Amber Fouts

Tags: atlanta, Bitter Southerner, buckhead, Empire State South, Greg Best, holiday, Jesse Pearson, Julian Goglia, Kellie Thorn, party, The Pinewood, Tipsy Hippo