When Susannah and Ryan Chapman moved to their house on East Brookhaven Drive three years ago, it was just the two of them. They were drawn to Historic Brookhaven because it seemed like the kind of neighborhood where you could get to know and love your neighbors. “And that’s exactly what we got,” says Susannah. It reminds her of the neighborhood where she grew up in Northern California.

 

At the time they were house hunting, Susannah was working as a nurse on a high-risk perinatal floor at Northside Hospital. She knew Dr. E.J. Aspuru, an obstetrics and gynecology physician with Northside/Northpoint OB-GYN, who is now the Chapmans’ across-the-street neighbor. He mentioned his then neighbors were getting ready to list their home. The Chapmans looked at the house and purchased it before it even hit the market.

 

Since then, the Chapmans’ two sons were born. Susannah is now primarily home with their boys, Holden (2 years old) and Graham (10 months old). She also works part time as a registered nurse with Casey Powell PA doing mostly lasers and botox.

 

Ryan lived in Sandy Springs for much of his youth and attended Riverwood High School. In addition to his day job as managing director of building material distributor GPI Group, he co-owns Tucker Brewing Company. Both are family businesses. GPI Group was founded by his father. Ryan and his sister Ashley started Tucker Brewing in 2017 in the same building owned by GPI Group.

 

Per its name, Tucker Brewing is located in Tucker, GA. Ryan and his sister opened the brewery with the idea of recreating the German pilsners and light lagers (helles) he had enjoyed as an exchange student in Germany. At age 15, Ryan lived in Detmold, Germany, as a Rotary exchange student and returned for a college study abroad program in Freiburg. He has a bachelor’s degree in German culture and language from Indiana University.

 

The Brewery has been successful at its mission. In 2021, Tucker Brewery’s light lager won gold at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver and its beer garden was ranked fourth best in the nation by USA Today readers.

 

Now when he has free time, Ryan enjoys running and playing guitar. Holden loves to play guitar with his dad and has his own little guitar. “He does a head bang when Ryan plays,” Susannah says. “Holden’s favorite song -- and he will ask for it repeatedly -- is The Roof is on Fire.”

 

Susannah relaxes by taking a Pilates class. Prior to entering nursing school, she worked at a private equity firm in San Francisco then had what she calls a quarter-life crisis. She taught Pilates full time in the Bay Area for five years before entering nursing school at Union University in Nashville. For her undergrad, she studied Spanish at the University of California, Davis.

 

As a family, they enjoy visiting local parks, particularly Little Nancy Creek and Chastain. They also have fun swimming together in their pool and like taking walks in the neighborhood. “We love that everyone says good morning on our morning walks,” Susannah says. “I’m sure you’ve seen us on the streets!” Holden, who just entered preschool at Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool, has fun checking out neighborhood construction sites and watching the trucks and equipment.

 

The Chapmans love to cook and have family dinner together every night but Saturday. “It has been so much fun having Graham join us at the table since he’s started solids,” Susannah says. Holden has a play kitchen and will cook alongside his parents or join them at the counter helping to mix, pour, and sample. Ryan’s specialty is Bolognese. Susannah’s favorite recipes are from Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) and include short ribs, scallop gratin, peanut butter and jelly bars, and orange chocolate chunk cake.

 

Ryan and Susannah were married in Montana. Their favorite vacations are mountain destinations from Colorado to North Carolina. They also enjoy returning to Northern California where Susannah grew up. This Thanksgiving, they will bring both of their families to the redwoods and wine country. “It’s a very special day where we are all bundled up by the fire, there’s no cell service, we cook turkeys on the weber grill, and spend lots of time with friends and family,” says Susannah.

 

As a young family, the Chapmans are still establishing many of their own holiday traditions. “This year is going to be especially fun as Holden will be old enough to appreciate the magic of the holidays and Graham is at such a fun and sweet age,” says Susannah. They’ll decorate the Christmas tree together and plan to put a train underneath as well as listen to lots of holiday music. They host a cocktail party and family dinner on Christmas Eve, and follow it with Christmas breakfast the next morning.

 

For Halloween, they plan to attend the neighborhood Halloween Party, which will take place right down the street, and then trick or treat at neighbors’ houses. “Holden is really into Paddington,” she says. “I’m thinking he could be Paddington Bear.”

 

SIDEBAR TO FAMILY SPOTLIGHT

HEAD = The Chapmans’ Favorite Things

 

Restaurants: Superica, The Chastain, Alon’s Bakery (mostly for the cookies!)

 

Sports teams: San Francisco Giants, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta United, Atlanta Falcons

 

TV shows: Ozarks, Succession, The Bird Cage (Susannah)

 

Music: Ryan plays guitar and loves rock music (two-year-old Holden loves to play guitar with him)