Sips Beer Garden and Food Court is now under new management after the original owners stepped down from the business.
Sips Beer Garden and Food Court, also known as Sips, is a beer garden located in downtown Troy. The location boasts almost 70 beers on tap, rotating food trucks and live entertainment.
“I initially opened Sips as a wine bar called Sips on the Square,” said former owner Lyndsay Taylor. “Over the years, our vision evolved, and we transformed it into a full-service restaurant specializing in craft beer and pizza.
“Our journey included expanding our seating, introducing draft beer to Troy, and eventually expanding into a beer garden and food truck court.”
After years of owning Sips, owners Lyndsay and Jamie Taylor sold their business to a new owner, Hailey Finger, in late July of this year.
Finger has been working alongside the Taylors since 2017, starting as a staff member and then as a business partner through her businesses, The Pizza Box and Loaded.
“Deciding to sell Sips was a heartfelt choice driven by my desire to see Sips continue to thrive and evolve under new leadership,” Taylor said. “After many fulfilling years of managing the business, I felt it was the right time to pass on the baton to someone who could bring fresh perspectives and new energy.
“She has been a mentee of mine for nearly a decade, and I’ve watched her grow both personally and professionally. Her dedication, creativity and commitment to the community make her the perfect fit to carry forward the legacy of Sips.”
Before announcing the change in leadership, the Taylors and Finger worked on the transition for months, preparing Finger for the new responsibilities the title holds.
As Finger states, the change came with a lot of emotions on all ends, since this has been a dream of hers for years.
“[The Taylors] told me to take a week or two and make sure that it was what I was ready for and what I was planning for, and even though this had been my hope for a while, I was like, ‘am I ready for this?’” Finger said. “After signing the paperwork, it didn't hit me at first, but then I was looking out at the sunset and realized that I own my favorite sunset in Troy, and that's when it really hit me.
“I shed a tear, and I cried a little. I looked at some of my employees, and they were like ‘Yeah Hailey, it's real, it's real.’”
Madison Painter, the bar manager for Sips, has worked alongside Finger since 2020.
“It was bittersweet,” Painter said. “On one hand, I was super excited to see my friend Hailey start this new chapter in her life, but also sad to have Lyndsay taking a step back.”
Now fully immersed in her role as the owner, Finger already has plans to improve Sips and bring more to the garden. Finger hopes to make more room in Sips and bring pop-up shops to the garden, with a long-term goal of bringing in a farmer’s market.
After selling Sips, the Taylors have taken a step back from the business and their roles within. However, they will continue to advise Finger as she navigates this new chapter in her life.
“I never imagined that it'd be at 26 home and sips,” Finger said. “It's been such an exciting journey, and a lot of days I'll look out here and just be in complete shock.
“You can do a lot at 26 years old, you can reach your dreams no matter what age you are.”
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