Hilton Head building used to be a bank. Soon it will be the new place to go for a beer

A new beer garden and restaurant complex is opening soon on Hilton Head’s south end.

The Bank will be located in the former Bank of America building at 59 Pope Ave. It is expected to open in the spring, according to a news release from Watterson Brands.

In addition to the beer garden, the 17,000-square-foot building also will house a brewery — Side Hustle Beer Co. — and four restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating, a family zone, a band shell and a merchandise shop.

Side Hustle Beer Co. is currently the smallest craft brewery in South Carolina. The current 21 Side Hustle craft brews were created by brewer Lee Holyoak and his wife Emily, along with original founders Mike Palmieri and Faith Seiders, as a “side hustle” turned career in early 2021.

L.J. Bush, co-owner of Side Hustle Beer Co. and founder of the youth mentorship program Changing Our Image Now, and Billy Watterson, CEO of Watterson Brands, have been collaborating on The Bank project since they acquired the brewery in November 2021. Side Hustle’s current location on Arrow Road will transition to a new adult beverage venue; details have not been made public.

Dining options at The Bank will be Taco Bills, Bank Burgers, Pizza Co. and Benjamin’s seafood truck.

Taco Bills and Bank Burgers are concepts from Marshall Sampson and Bill Alberts, co-owners of Santa Fe Cafe on Hilton Head. Sampson also owns Pizza Co., which has a location next to Watterson’s Burnt Church Distillery in Bluffton.

Additional beverage and dining options will be located on the exterior of the main building to provide customers an enhanced experience, the news release says.

“Music, storytelling and food are pillars of the Lowcountry experience, and we’re proud to offer this, and more, year-round,” said Bush in the news release. “Additionally, we plan to have trivia nights and other fun activities, and we will be the venue to watch sports on the island.”

The Bank is located at a stop for The Breeze trolley system. It will have more than 100 vehicle parking spots and more than 100 bicycle parking spots.

The business represents a $13 million investment. Hiring for 100 positions is expected to begin in February. Those interested in learning more can visit www.thebankhhi.com.

Last April, Watterson Brands purchased the former Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette building on Buck Island Road in Bluffton.

Watterson is also behind the proposed redevelopment of the former Pepper’s Porch location in Old Town Bluffton into Ma Daisy’s restaurant and a Gullah Heritage Center with Bluffton Town Councilwoman Bridgette Frazier.