“My hospitality industry journey began at the age of 13 when I started scooping frozen custard part-time as a “Fountain” Girl in Hartland, Wisconsin. When my family relocated and I started college in Athens, GA, I started slinging burritos at the Mean Bean. We shared a parking lot with the 5 & 10, and I was in awe of the amazing atmosphere they created. From the inspired dishes, to the service, to the warm and welcoming dining rooms, it seemed like the total package. Finally, after about 6 months of regularly dropping off my resume, they brought me on board. I fell in love with their commitment to seasonal food and local farms, and it transformed my dedication to the industry.

Inspired by my time there, I decided to move to Asheville, NC to pursue a hands-on education in small scale farming and be part of a thriving local food movement. I spent time on a large scale commercial organic farm, a small biodynamic family farm, and a specialty hot pepper farm and hot sauce company, ultimately finding a home with the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and the Asheville City Farmer’s Market.

I believe that fresh local food should be accessible to people from all walks of life. That diversity makes us stronger and sharing with different cultures enriches us all. Above all, I believe that good food and drink is where humanity is most alive. It is my absolute pleasure to spend each day working to strengthen a community through my passions of food, drink, and hospitality!”

-Sera

“My foray into this crazy industry started in the seaside town of Tybee Island, GA. I started out as a dishwasher in a tiny little fine dining restaurant called Sundae Cafe. At age 15 I knew right away that I wanted to cook and expressed that sentiment to anyone who would listen. Fortunately for me the proprietors of that establishment happened to be classically trained Johnson and Wales Chefs. Over the next ten years Kevin Carpenter and AJ Baker would teach me all the skills I would need to thrive in a commercial kitchen. From there I headed to Asheville North Carolina to pursue an education in hospitality management. Shortly after school I found my way behind the bar and a light bulb went off. I realized that I could utilize the skills I had acquired from cooking and creating dishes and apply them to developing craft cocktails. I set out to learn and memorize every classic cocktail. I tasted every obscure liqueur and spirit I could get my hands on. I wanted to be the best bartender I could possibly be. I was at home at last. Moving to the Atlanta area further introduced me to concepts and techniques that would accelerate my cocktail education.

These days I believe that bars, spirits and cocktails should be approachable and comfortable. It is our mission to serve drinks that are complex and thought provoking without being overly serious and fanciful. Drinking in bars should always be a relaxing experience. We just want to do it well.”

-Jason

“When we (Jason & Sera) met in the Spring of 2015, sparks weren’t the only things flying. With a shared passion for the hospitality industry and a mutual dream of owning a business, it didn’t take long before we stayed up late enjoying cocktails and working out business plans.

We embarked on a Great Southern Cities roadtrip to find the home of our one day business, but when Sera’s mother Laura was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer, our world came to a halt. We refocused our search on the Atlanta metro area so we could be an active part of Laura’s care. Through her insistence, we kept our dream alive, and continued to work towards one day opening our own spot.

When we first stumbled upon the town of Acworth, we were struck by the walkability of the downtown area, the proximity to nature, and above all, the sense of community. We bought our home in the downtown area, and waited for the perfect time and place to appear for our future business.

When Laura passed away, she left a small inheritance with the explicit instructions that we view it as the investment we needed to start making moves. We heard of a space for rent on Main street, and went to check it out to plug numbers into our business plan. Upon meeting with us, the landlord offered us the deal of a lifetime, and we walked away knowing that the time was NOW. We quit our jobs, so we could put all of our time and energy into building out our dream bar and restaurant - all with our 6 month baby in tow.

Jason, Sera, and our friend Brad did all the work ourselves! We sanded and stained the floors, rebuilt the bar and kitchen, and redesigned the space from top to bottom. In July of 2021, we finally opened the doors and The Fountain was born!

After releasing our dream to the world, we were ready to tackle all the unexpected challenges that came our way, but we have been so fortunate to be accepted into this community. Our love for fresh ingredients and seasonal flavors pushes us to create the best drinks and dishes and never accept mediocrity. We worked so hard to get here and don’t take a single bit of it for granted!”

-Jason & Sera