Small Business Highlight: Tom Shinko, Tip it Back Sports Grille

One of the best aspects about living and working in Greenville are the great people I get the opportunity to meet -and meeting Tom Shinko was no exception.

I was introduced to Tom Shinko, owner of Tip it Back Sports Grille, through a mutual friend at the gym we both go to. Not only is he a great guy to know, but his bar is one of the best in town. To me, it’s just like the bar in “Cheers” where everyone knows everybody and the employees are always happy to see you walk through the door.

This month, I’m happy to share the story of Tom Shinko and Tip it Back Sports Grille!

About Tom Shinko

The idea of Tip it Back Sports Grille was one that Tom and Desiree, his wife of 21 years, both shared. “We’ve always said one day we wanted to open our own sports bar,” Tom said. And together they did just that. Tip it Back Sports Grille has been open for two years this June.  

While neither of them had previous experience owning and operating a bar – they used their combined skills and passion to make it happen. Before opening the bar, Tom worked in transportation for 20 years with Roadway Express in Greenville as a local driver and dispatch. He now focuses his time on the bar and Desiree continues to work in accounting and human resources for a firm in Greenville while also helping out with Tip it Back Sports Grille.   

A hometown bar with big city service

One of their goals for Tip it Back Sports Grille was to make sure it was a fun place for people of all backgrounds and to always have a home-like feel. It’s safe to say they have accomplished just that.

“It’s small and it’s more like your neighborhood sports bar, not a chain sports bar or restaurant. We love to say that it’s locally owned,” says Tom.

Other than being a friendly atmosphere, it’s also a fun atmosphere! They have live local music every Friday night and a live DJ on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday nights. Plus they offer a delicious full menu complete with everyones bar-food favorites, like philly cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken wings, quesadillas and more. In 2014 they were voted the best chicken wings in Greenville!

Making Greenville home

After moving to Greenville from Pennsylvania 18 years ago for their careers, it didn’t take long for Tom and his wife Desiree to decide to make Greenville home. Greenville become more than a city to work in, it became a place to raise their family in. They raised their two sons here; one is 19 and going to school to become a law enforcement officer and the other is 24 and attending the University of South Carolina School of Law.

“We just fell in love with Greenville, it’s a great place to raise a family. It’s 3 hours from the beach, an hour-and-a-half from the mountains and it just has a great atmosphere.”

Keeping Greenville local

I’m always excited to share stories of local owned businesses that add to the unique environment and home-town feel of Greenville. Everyone I talk to always mentions the friendliness this town has to offer and Tom and Desiree Shinko and Tip it Back Sports Grille definitely help keep this feeling alive and well within the city.

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