Breweries debate: Kid friendly or adults only

After Bearded Bee Brewery in Wendell posted a reiteration of 'Hive Rules' that require parental supervision, the discussion of children at breweries is brewing again.
Posted 10/7/2025, 9:38:42 PM Updated 10/7/2025, 10:00:09 PM

SENTENCED FRIDAY TO 4 MONTHS IN

4 YEARS, RATHER IN 2 MONTHS IN

PRISON. THIS AFTERNOON. WE ARE

ASKING AN AGE OLD QUESTION.

WELL, I KNOW THAT'S THAT ONE OF

THE QUESTION WE'VE BEEN ASKING

FOR A FEW YEARS NOW SHOULD KIDS

BE ALLOWED AT BREWERIES?

MOST IN THE TRIANGLE ARE KID

FRIENDLY. SOME EVEN HAVING

DESIGNATED PLAY AREAS. HOWEVER,

ONE WAKE COUNTY BREWERY IS

GAINING SOME ATTENTION ONLINE

AFTER POSTING THEIR RULES FOR

PARENTS ON FACEBOOK, WRAL'S

GRACE HOLIDAYS HERE IN STUDIO

SHARING WHAT'S FUELING NOW AN

ONLINE DEBATE. GREECE.

>> DAN DAN, LENO BEARDED BE

IN. WENDELL POSTED THIS LIST

OF RULES FOR PARENTS ON THIS

SIGN AT THEIR BUSINESS. AMONG

THEM, NO YELLING SCREAMING OR

EXCESSIVE NOISE. CHILDREN MUST

BE WITHIN 6 FEET OF THEIR

PARENT AND NO THROWING ROCKS OR

OTHER OBJECTS IN THE POST.

THE BREWERY SAYS ITS TEAM SPENT

HOURS CLEANING UP 3 TO 4

GALLONS OF ROCKS THAT WERE

SCATTERED AROUND THE PROPERTY

AND ACROSS THE ROAD. THE

BUSINESS SAYS IN PART, WE ARE

PROUD TO BE A FAMILY-FRIENDLY

ESTABLISHMENT. BUT THAT ONLY

WORKS WHEN PARENTS TAKE

RESPONSIBILITY. IF YOU CAN'T

ACTIVELY MONITOR YOUR CHILDREN

DURING YOUR VISIT, PLEASE DON'T

BRING THEM. THERE ARE MORE THAN

150 COMMENTS ON THIS POST AND

MORE THAN 500 REACTION. SO A

LOT OF CONVERSATION HERE.

SOME COMMON SAY THEY APPRECIATE

THE FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT

AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT

PARENTS YOU CAN WATCH THEIR

CHILDREN. OTHERS SUGGEST

CHILDFREE HOURS OR EVEN MAKING

IT CHILDFREE ALL THE TIME.

ZINKE, HOUSE WINERY AND BREWERY

IN DURHAM COUNTY MADE THE

DECISION NOT TO ALLOW CHILDREN

AFTER A YEAR IN BUSINESS OWNER

KIMBERLY 10 OVER SAYS WHEN THEY

DID ALLOW KIDS IT PUT A STRAIN

ON THEIR STAFF AND IT WAS A

SAFETY RISK.

>> IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE AN

APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR CHILDREN

TO BE HERE. WHEN THERE IS

ALCOHOL SERVED AND IT'S A VERY

ADULT ATMOSPHERE. BUT IT KIND

OF JUST GOES BACK TO MY HUSBAND

AND MYSELF. IT'S LIKE, WHAT DO

WE WANT OUR BUSINESS PLAN TO

WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT THIS

TO LOOK LIKE? AND THEN WE

REALLY DESIGNED THIS FOR THAT.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT I LOVE

FOR IT TO BE FAMILY-FRIENDLY.

BE AWESOME. BUT IT JUST DOESN'T

WORK WITH OUR SITUATION.

>> PARENTS LOOKING TO TAKE

THEIR CHILDREN ALONG WITH THEM.

THERE ARE LOCAL BREWERIES THAT

OFFER KID FRIENDLY

ENVIRONMENTS. TAKE A LOOK AT

THESE TOYS HERE. THIS IS AT

SOUTH LINE BREWING, WHICH

RECENTLY OPENED A NEW LOCATION

IN APEX THEIR OUTDOOR PATIO

IS STOCKED WITH THESE TALK OF

TRUCKS AND OTHER TOYS FOR UNDER

AGE VISITORS TO ENJOY.

>> I'VE GOT 3 YOUNG CHILDREN.

IT'S JUST HOW WE GREW UP WITH

BRINGING HIS THE BREEZE.

AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO

SOCIALIZE WITH FAMILIES AND

FRIENDS. AND YOU COULD BE OUT

WITH THEM. SO FOR ME, IT'S BEEN

THE BEST COMBINATION AND SEE

THE MIX OF KIDS OFF DEVICES AND

DOING THINGS.

>> OWNER MIKE MARKHAM SAYS THEY

PLAN TO EXPAND THEIR

CHILD-FRIENDLY AREAS IN A FEW

WEEKS TO MAKE SURE BOTH KIDS

AND ADULTS HAVE ENOUGH ROOM

TO ENJOY THEMSELVES. WE REACHED

OUT TO BEARDED BREE BREWING