Kaitlynn Kressin, a born-and-raised Maconite, loves her city and plans to keep on giving back and investing in it. The Mercer University alumna co-owns Fall Line Brewing Co., Just Tap’d and Kressin Realty and was recently named to Georgia Trend magazine’s 2024 “40 Under 40” list.
Kressin, who graduated from Mercer in 2015 with a degree in psychology and sociology, gained experience in community development work as a student involved with the College Hill Alliance — a group dedicated to improving an area between Mercer and downtown Macon known as the College Hill Corridor.
Her husband, Nate, already owned Just Tap’d when they met, and together, they opened Ocmulgee Brewpub in 2016, Kressin Realty in 2017 and Fall Line Brewing Co. in 2020. Kressin said she and her husband love starting and developing new businesses.
“We’re very passionate about creating experiences for people, helping people make memories and fall in love with Macon,” she said. “We enjoy working in the hospitality industry for that reason. We get to help people create fun life experiences, and a lot of times that involves food and beverage.”
In a mutually beneficial move, the Kressins sold Ocmulgee Brewpub to a local restaurant group in August 2023, and they have continued to find ways to grow and expand in their other ventures.
Just Tap’d recently went through a rebrand and interior redesign and celebrated its 10th anniversary. Fall Line acquired its own parking lot — complete with shade trees and landscape design — that doubles as a festival/concert space. Its beers are distributed to about 4,000 locations across Georgia, and its 1 millionth beer was canned not long ago.
A successful partnership with Mercer Athletics brought Fall Line’s Ol’ Toby Easy Ale to Mercer home football games this season and last, and the beer is now being distributed to local restaurants and package stores. Kressin said it’s been exciting to see the ale’s popularity. People have purchased Ol’ Toby for weddings, alumni events and more.
Through their realty company, the Kressins buy, renovate and rent out properties primarily to students and young professionals in the downtown Macon and Ingleside areas. They currently manage 14 units and are adding a new development on Cotton Avenue with commercial spaces on the first floor and lofts on the second floor. Kressin said she enjoys finding and redesigning properties and being able to share what Macon has to offer with the tenants.
Macon is a city that supports young leaders, and that’s not lost on Kressin.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who loves Macon as much as I do,” she said. “I’m very grateful for the support system I have here and the leaders that pour into me and encourage me. It’s such a unique experience that I’m so grateful for.”
Kressin loves seeing the excitement of people who return to Macon after a few years and realize how much it has grown and has to offer. That helps keep her motivated to continue her work.
Kressin is involved in the Macon community in a number of other ways, including as a board member for the Historic Macon Foundation and Cherry Blossom Festival, vice president of the Bragg Jam board, and a Macon Rotary Club member. Her past accolades include being named an Emerging Leader by NewTown Macon, Small Business Leader of the Year by the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and to Macon Magazine’s list of “5 Under 40.” In 2022, she was presented with Mercer’s Thomas Sewell Plunkett Young Alumna Award.
Kressin said her inclusion in Georgia Trend’s 2024 “40 Under 40” list is more than she ever expected for herself.
“The leader who nominated me for that is such an incredible person and to have them view me in that light is such an honor. I’m really excited about it. I don’t know if I was ready for the amount of reach it’s had,” she said.
The Kressins have some new projects in the works for the near future. While they aren’t ready to announce the details quite yet, they are certain of one thing.
“We’re never going to stop growing and expanding and giving back to our community,” Kressin said.
Kaitlynn Kressin is among the Mercerians featured in Mercer Illustrated: The Places, People, and Experiences of a Uniquely Impactful University. This coffee table book from Mercer University Press will be released Nov. 5, and pre-orders and orders can be placed online. Mercer faculty, staff and students can receive a 40% discount when they order by phone at (478) 301-2880.
