World of Beer in South End is now Helles & Dunkel

South End visitors may have noticed a change at the bar formerly known as World of Beer.

The bar has rebranded itself and is now Helles & Dunkel, German for "light and dark."

"We just wanted out of the corporate position of World of Beer to be able to be a little bit more creative and do what we want to do," said Rachel Sunderland, the bar's general manager.

The change took effect Monday and wasn't a response to bad reviews or poor sales. In fact, Sunderland said, sales are up about 20 percent from last year. 

World of Beer, a Tampa, Fla.-based chain with dozens of locations across the country, opened in Charlotte in 2012. The newly branded bar is still focused mainly on beer and has 60 rotating taps and 250 bottles, Sunderland said.

Because it doesn't have a kitchen, Helles & Dunkel doesn't serve food. But the bar has expanded its bar offerings to include a full selection of liquor (before it only had a few bottles) and will also have a selection of games, including a shuffle board table, darts and a pin ball machine.

"Basically we had to get everything approved before through corporate. Now we don’t have to do that," Sunderland said. 

The bar is maintaining its same staff and hours. But gift cards for World of Beer, Sunderland said, unfortunately will not be honored at Helles & Dunkel, though there are other World of Beer locations in Raleigh, Cary and Columbia.