When Vintage 28 Tap and Wine closed in August, the town of Maiden was left without a watering hole downtown. After losing the neighborhood bar, former patrons of Vintage 28 approached Josh Abernathy, who owns Lincoln Social in Lincolnton, about purchasing and reopening the business. Abernathy was interested and opened Maiden Social in early October.
Owner Josh Abernathy stands outside Maiden Social. Abernathy opened the business in early October. “They (customers) really wanted to see something come back into town, so I decided to give it a go,” Abernathy said.
Maiden Social is Abernathy’s third bar venture. In addition to Lincoln Social and Maiden Social, Abernathy also owns Spillway Bridge & Co. in Marion.
Abernathy formerly worked in the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office IT Department. He planned to continue working and run the three businesses but said he found the three bars required his full attention. Maiden Social has a sports bar feel.
There are televisions, cozy seating spaces and a small area for a band. Bottles of liquor line the walls behind the bar. Maiden Social offers about 15 bourbons as well as vodka, whiskey and other liquors.
“When we opened Lincoln Social, we wanted to be the hometown bar,” Abernathy said. “We wanted everybody to come in, see your friends after work. That was our goal, to create a hometown bar.
That’s why we chose this place, too. It seemed to be the hometown bar when Vintage had it.” Bartender Gypsy Shirley makes a smoky .