Watch Hill Proper Case Study

In. Mode Marketing LLC and its CEO Erin Jones, in partnership with M2-Maximum Media and its President Ali Hawthorne, are the public relations agencies of record for Watch Hill Proper Bourbon Club & Restaurant (WHP), cemented as a Louisville favorite since its launch at Norton Commons in April 2022.  Watch Hill Proper is a 5,200-square-foot bourbon club that Tommy Craggs and Josh Howes co-founded. It was designed by Design + Inc. and constructed by Buffalo Construction Inc.

Home to the largest whiskey bar in the world, Watch Hill Proper and its team have recently completed an exciting transformation for its overall dining experience, transitioning from its original iteration as a membership-only bourbon club, to a full-fledged, fine dining restaurant and bar. During its renovation, WHP’s kitchen doubled in size, and the bar selection was expanded with bourbon and wine offerings totaling 1,600+ whiskeys and 100+ wines.

In September 2022, WHP introduced an expanded, full dining menu with various options from Executive Chef Michael Crouch, which showcased his unique culinary spin on classic American cuisine. Crouch is a classically trained chef who spent several summers learning to explore flavors in Paris. He earned respect in the Louisville restaurant scene for his work at Bistro 1860 and his stints at the Standard Country Club, Le Beaujolais, and Café Metro.

As only he can do, his new dining fare is filled with an array of unique appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts. “Originally, I was going to lean toward small, shared bites when they brought me on,” Crouch explains. “But many people in [Norton Commons] and the surrounding areas were looking for a place that was doing a little bit more elevated cuisine. No one was offering it, so we went in that direction. It is my specialty.”

Since opening in April, Watch Hill Proper’s American whiskey selections have grown to over 1,600 unique bottles, making it the world’s most extensive American whiskey bar. The restaurant is on pace to host more than 200 public and private events this year, which include bourbon and wine tastings, meet and greets with bourbon master distillers, and themed dinners led by Crouch. WHP also offers space for private events such as rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, and corporate events. A Sunday brunch is in the works and will debut in late fall 2022.

Press coverage of the pre-opening and opening, spanning the period of January 2 – April 30, 2022, is as follows:

The total number of media mentions was 57 and encompassed local television broadcast and online news coverage, along with business and trade publications coverage;

The total reach number was an extraordinary 329.9 million;

The entire media value for all press coverage was $8.3 million.        

“We are extremely thrilled with the press garnered for our very unique establishment, from its pre-opening period to the actual launch last April, and now during its continuing evolvement,” states Bev Reese, Marketing Director.  “The joint public relations and social media efforts of M2-Maximum Media and in. Mode Marketing has made a tremendous impact on awareness from customers and the restaurant/spirits trade industries. The attention to detail, creativity, overall strategy, and laser-like focus from Ali and Erin, and their respective teams, has been unparalleled and crucial for the ongoing success of WHP.”

Watch Hill Proper is open from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 4:00 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. The kitchen will close one hour before the bar closes. For more information, please visit https://www.watchhillproper.com/.