It became obvious that an old supermarket site was the perfect layout for our needs. We fortunately stumbled upon our location in Maplewood and purchased the building in September, 2001. We then chose the local Architectural Design Guild, who had already consulted with others previously interested in the property, and whose president Barry Greenberg is very active in the Maplewood community.
As opposed to our Tap Room location, which required restoration of an old building, this building needed to be completely re-hauled to fit all our tanks — and to reflect the personality of the company. The design took six months and focused on getting the layout right, including all of the elements needed to operate an efficient brewery. Because we had the opportunity to recreate the feel of the place, and to incorporate some environmentally friendly aspects into the design, we were intent on spending the time needed to plan it properly and we consulted Energy Solutions on making some "green" decisions.
The general contractor, GT Lawlor, began demolition and construction in May, 2002. Eleven months later, we opened our doors on the 70th anniversary of Prohibition's repeal.
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