Drink Philly (DP:) Tell me a little bit about the place.
Tim Kweeder (TK): It’s a cute little term called a “slashie,” I guess, right? It’s a whole animal butcher shop, retail shop, restaurant, and event space.

DP: How long have you been here?
TK: Since October 2014, when we opened.

DP: Total years behind the bar?
TK: About 20 years in the business, though I’ve only been bartending for about a year and a half and have mostly been in a managerial role.

DP: How is the business different today than it was when you started?
TK: The scene is really on fire right now. Philadelphia’s getting a lot of national attention, and I think it’s a lot more about camaraderie than competition.

DP: How has the clientele changed?
TK: There’s definitely a lot more open-minded people these days - they’re less afraid to leave their comfort zone and try new things.

DP: What’s trendy right now?
TK: Not really sure! I’m not hip and don’t keep up with all that jazz.

DP: What are some trends you wish would die?
TK: Trends is what keeps the buzz going, right? More trends, please.

DP: Any predictions about where the industry might go next?
TK: The market’s just going to keep getting more saturated with new restaurants.

DP: What’s your beverage of choice?
TK: Whatever Forest & Main and Tired Hands has on tap.

DP: Favorite beer?
TK: Any English Bitter - Forest & Main makes a great one.

DP: Favorite liquor?
TK: Aged brandy.

DP: Favorite cocktail?
TK: In the Kweeds at Wm. Mulherin's Sons.

DP: What do you think are some wines that people should check out right now?
TK: Swabia - it’s part of Germany, southwestern Germany, near Baden and Stuttgart. They have a lot of dry Rieslings and light-bodied red wines, and not enough people know about it. It’s big in modern progressive restaurants in the Lower East Side & Brooklyn.

DP: What wins you over with an importer?
TK: Stories behind wines - they’re more in tune with where the wine’s from and how it’s made and not trying to make it something it’s not.

DP: Where do you go for a drink when you’re not working?
TK: Garage - I live right around the corner from the original. Townsend is a favorite of mine. Keith Raimondi, who now owns Dapper Goose in Buffalo,was another favorite of mine. Martha is also a new favorite of mine.

DP: If you could have a drink with any person alive or dead, who would it be and what would you have?
TK: Joe Beddia. He knows a lot about different wines, so he’s a great and chill person to drink wine with. He sees things differently, but he’s a down-to-earth dude.

Photo via Drink Philly