By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Founders Brewing announced last week that they are moving from North Monroe to a larger location at 235 Grandville at the end of the year. The expanded space will enable the brewery to immediately increase production from 7,000 to 12,000 barrels a year, and eventually to 40,000 barrels—a whopping 572 percent increase.
“The last three years we’ve been only able to fill about 60 percent of our clients’ orders,” said Mike Stevens, president and co-owner with Dave Engbers.
Renovation plans include 8,500 square feet of office space, a 3,000-square-foot taproom, and 1,200 square feet for the brewing kettles, all within the existing building. A new manufacturing addition will have 25-foot ceilings and 11,000 square feet of floor space.
The partners spent two years looking for a place that would keep the current taproom’s laid back appeal, Stevens said.
“We wanted something kinda old and beat up and still in the city, and it took us a while to find that,” he said.
While the new taproom will be a non-smoking environment, Stevens said they will still accommodate smokers. A 120-foot deck will be designated for smoking. Heaters mounted under the building overhang will keep the area warm in the winter.
Other features include a stage with sound equipment that plugs into the house system for live music, and glass garage doors that will open to the deck.
Stevens expects to create some 20 jobs in production, the taproom, and management.
Source: Mike Stevens, Founders Brewing Company
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Deborah Johnson Wood is Development News Editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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