Wealthy Street Mega Thread

[SupercityGR]

Yea, i read that on mlive. Its great news. Always good to see someone doing good

[ledgerwm]

I figure this is as good of a place as any to post a link to my West Michigan Brewery List - http://wmbizblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/its-spreading-beer-spill-in-west-michigan/ . I was getting frustrated with all the partial lists that were out there, and I wanted to consolidate into 1 solid list of breweries that are open, and that are planning to open in the West Michigan area.  I break down the list by region, and I also  add in my two cents as well.

 

Also since this list is going to be constantly updated, if you guys get word of any new developments or breweries in the area, please let me know either by commenting on here, or on the blog.  Since you guys are usually on top of development news I figured this would be a good place to start.  Thanks and let me know if I missed anything.

[mpchicago]

It's interesting that BOB's house of brews was one of the first "craft" brewers to emerge in town.  Very quietly, they have made their beer since 1997 with no fan fair, while the Grand Rapids craft brewing sence has taken off.  I haven't been there in years, and don't remember how the beer was, but glad they are moving the operation - front and center - on the first floor of the BOB.  My guess is the beer is just ok??

[ledgerwm]

Yeah it seems like restaurants were at the forefront of the brewing push.  Holland had an italian restaurant for a good number of years called Via Maria, which actually brewed their own beer.  The restaurant closed down in 2010, some bad financing deals, and they stopped brewing their own beer in 2009.

 

I haven't had the BOB beer for awhile as well, and somewhat interesting that they were not pushing it in their beer in their beer tent in the parking lot during ArtPrize.  Seems like a perfect opportunity to promote their beer with a captive audience.

[GRDadof3]

It's interesting that BOB's house of brews was one of the first "craft" brewers to emerge in town.  Very quietly, they have made their beer since 1997 with no fan fair, while the Grand Rapids craft brewing sence has taken off.  I haven't been there in years, and don't remember how the beer was, but glad they are moving the operation - front and center - on the first floor of the BOB.  My guess is the beer is just ok??

 

Yeah, it's OK. I had some just a few months ago. You almost get the sense that they serve it just to say they have craft beers on tap.

[carlsode]

Yeah, it's OK. I had some just a few months ago. You almost get the sense that they serve it just to say they have craft beers on tap.

+1, compared to all the new breweries in GR, BOB is dead last on my list. They should hire a new brewmaster or rid themselves of that beer and serve a large assortment of GR only beer.

[ledgerwm]

Funny you mention that carlsode, per this GRBJ article "The building’s brewery is really a focal point of the entire expansion
project and not just the first phase. Its craft beers also are a key element of the second stage."  So looks like they are trying to stake their claim in the beer scene, and make a bigger push.  It will be interesting to see how this shakes out for them.

 

http://www.grbj.com/articles/76123-brewery-is-an-integral-piece-of-the-bob-expansion

Edited February 11, 2013 by ledgerwm

[joeDowntown]

The latest on the Founders Expansion:

 

http://foundersbrewing.com/latest-news/2013/next-steps-for-expansion/?av-submitted=true

 

Joe

[fotoman311]

The latest on the Founders Expansion:

 

http://foundersbrewing.com/latest-news/2013/next-steps-for-expansion/?av-submitted=true

 

Joe

 

I wonder how many surface parking spaces Founders has gobbled up in the past 3 years?

[GRDadof3]

I wonder how many surface parking spaces Founders has gobbled up in the past 3 years?

 

This calls for a barrels per cubic foot study! I'll start.

[SupercityGR]

Has there been any news on new holland lately coming to dt

[fotoman311]

It's more than a year off, but Siciliano's is planning a big homebrew event for Calder Plaza to coincide with the National Homebrewer's Association convention in 2014.

http://www.grbj.com/articles/76262-sicilianos-market-secures-downtowns-calder-plaza-for-national-big-brew-event

Edited March 1, 2013 by fotoman311

[amylynne]

It's more than a year off, but Siciliano's is planning a big homebrew event for Calder Plaza to coincide with the National Homebrewer's Association convention in 2014.

http://www.grbj.com/articles/76262-sicilianos-market-secures-downtowns-calder-plaza-for-national-big-brew-event

Saturday, May 4th is this year.  I think the event is actually this year and it was confusing how they mentioned it along with the other event that's next year.

[egrguy]

Is there any truth that Bells or New Holland will be the brewery announced on March 18?

[mpchicago]

Is there any truth that Bells or New Holland will be the brewery announced on March 18?

 

My thought is that it might be New Holland.  Nothing to base this on other than NH advised they would be announcing a GR location about this time, and now DOMA is announcing a new brewrey on the 18th. I think NH would be a nice fit @ DOMA.  I haven't heard anything about Bells opening a branch in town.

[grandrollerz]

My thought is that it might be New Holland.  Nothing to base this on other than NH advised they would be announcing a GR location about this time, and now DOMA is announcing a new brewrey on the 18th. I think NH would be a nice fit @ DOMA.  I haven't heard anything about Bells opening a branch in town.

 

Are we calling the Downtown Market DOMA?  Is it too late to vote that we don't call it that??

 

To me DOMA is the Defense of Marriage Act, not a nice association.

Edited March 6, 2013 by grandrollerz

[GRDadof3]

Are we calling the Downtown Market DOMA?  Is it too late to vote that we don't call it that??

 

To me DOMA is the Defense of Marriage Act, not a nice association.

 

AS FAR AS I KNOW, the board dropped the DOMA name due to "feedback" from the community. All of their communiques specifically say Downtown Market.

[GR2010]

Don't know why but I think Bell's Brewery will be announced March 18th. They want to be apart of Beer City USA!

Edited March 7, 2013 by GR2010

[GRDadof3]

Don't know why but I think Bell's Brewery will be announced March 18th. They want to be apart of Beer City USA!

 

Word in the craft beer community is a nada on that. But who knows.

[GRDadof3]

I didn't realize that Founders expansion on the front was so big. They're getting rid of all the parking out front, adding in the beer garden with a metal and wood trellis over it, and completely expanding the building portion on the Northeast corner. The look of the old truck depot will be gone, but the taproom will be expanded into the area where the bathrooms are now (plus into the new addition), the bathrooms are being moved toward the door that now goes into the offices, and store is being expanded, and a banquet center is being added on the 2nd floor.

 

Nice!

 

I have some floorplans/elevations but I can't post them at this moment. Hopefully later.

[CarpenterJoseph]

I'm next to certain that the new Brewery is New Holland locating in Downtown Market. 

[GRDadof3]

I'm next to certain that the new Brewery is New Holland locating in Downtown Market. 

 

That would make the most sense. It's a pretty good sized space so it'd most likely be a bigger player in the market already. And I don't think it's Bell's. If you KNOW who it is, please don't divulge it on this site. Media outlets watch UP like a hawk for story ideas.

[CarpenterJoseph]

Noted

[CarpenterJoseph]

BTW, it seems like craft spirits might be on rise with some of these breweries. 

[GRDadof3]

Thanks.

 

BTW, for those interested, here are elevations and site plans for Founders' expansion: