Charlotte Inno

A Florida-based company behind an automated drink machine serving wine and cocktails has made Charlotte a target market, landing agreements with high-traffic sports and entertainment venues while eyeing expansion elsewhere in town.

The company, TendedBar, already counts Bank of America Stadium and Spectrum Center among its clients. BofA Stadium, owned by Tepper Sports & Entertainment, began using TendedBar in November at stadium events, including Carolina Panthers NFL games.

The company added Spectrum Center this month. Cofounder Justin Honeysuckle was in Charlotte last weekend to see the setup and sales patterns during performances by Impractical Jokers (Feb. 17) and Adam Sandler (Feb. 18). TendedBar is used for NBA Charlotte Hornets games at the arena, too.

Honeysuckle, whose expertise is in design and the service industry, and his brother, cofounder Jay Perkins, who earned a degree in electrical and computer engineering technology from Purdue University, started the company in 2014. An early endorsement from Mark Cuban helped get the startup noticed, but capital remained scarce.

They bought out Cuban in 2018 and took a big step the following year when VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena — a 15,000-seat arena in the company's hometown of Jacksonville — agreed to add TendedBar as a concessions option.

After enduring the live-event slump caused by the start of Covid-19, the company gained momentum in 2021 by raising $5 million in Series A funding. That same year, TendedBar landed a contract to install its automated cocktail machines at TIAA Bank Field, home of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars.

The machines require one-time customer registration and use facial recognition technology to ensure buyers are of legal drinking age. Honeysuckle said the machines can serve people faster with less mess and greater accuracy. Most important, he added, the drinks are freshly mixed on the spot and not premade.

The company typically shares sales revenue with the venue operator.

TendedBar has machines serving fans at high-volume event venues in Austin, Texas; Atlanta; Charlotte; Denver; Jacksonville; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; and San Antonio, mostly in arenas and stadiums that have NBA or NFL teams as well as concerts and other performances.

The company has long had its eye on expansion beyond sports and entertainment. Airports and hotels are among their future targets. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, home to American Airlines Group Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAL) second-largest hub, would be of high interest, Honeysuckle said.

Although the company continues to target new markets, Honeysuckle said the cities listed above — where TendedBar already has clients — provide ample opportunity for expansion. He mentioned Charlotte's growth and popularity among young professionals with disposable income as an ideal location.

And he's encouraged by all of the events BofA Stadium does beyond NFL games. Because TendedBar came to the stadium last fall, the company has yet to serve at concerts or Major League Soccer matches.

Charlotte FC plays 17 home matches per season and finished second in the league in attendance in 2022. In addition to MLS games at BofA Stadium, TendedBar will benefit from at least two concerts scheduled for this summer: Luke Combs (July) and Beyoncé (August).

The company has had discussions with Quail Hollow Club about installing a machine for the annual PGA Tour event and, while they did not strike a deal, Honeysuckle has not given up on exploring possibilities with the club in the future. TendedBar has served at other PGA Tour events and found some challenges because crowds scatter all over the course and there is not a central gathering spot, he added.