Founders Brewing: "Next Steps for Expansion" (Phase II)

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by abaculy, Mar 1, 2013.

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  1. abaculy

    abaculy Initiate (0) Sep 14, 2005 Michigan

    We announced the second phase of our $26 million expansion today, to include more equipment; an educational facility; additional offices; enlarged taproom, deli and company store; and an outdoor beer garden. The facility will expand entirely on our current site, at 235 Grandville Ave SW, extending our building’s footprint by approximately 5,500 square feet. We expect to break ground in April.

    Most of the capital investment (around 85%) is earmarked for brewing, fermenting and packaging equipment, taking our annual capacity up to about 320,000 bbl. Upgrades will be made to systems and software, and a focus will be put on energy efficient investments, including initiatives such as heating the new office building off of a chiller on our north cellar.

    We also plan to add 52 jobs over the next three years, ranging from managerial to operations to service positions, generated by this expansion.

    Our education program is an extension of the brewery tours that we launched in January. “Our industry continues to flourish and, as a leader in the industry, we feel that we have a responsibility to educate our staff, wholesaler and retailer partners and beer enthusiasts,” said Dave Engbers, Co-Founder and Vice President of Brand & Education. Eventually, we plan to offer classes for consumers interested in learning more about the brewing process, how to identify different styles of beer and advanced beer education.

    “There’s no question that beer tourism is becoming a bigger and bigger draw all the time,” said Engbers. “And Grand Rapids has become even more of a destination since we were named Beer City USA. We want to continue our support of the industry in our hometown by investing in it.”

    The revamped retail space and new educational facility should be in use this fall. Please stay tuned for more updates to come.

    http://foundersbrewing.com/latest-news/2013/next-steps-for-expansion/
     
    #1 abaculy, Mar 1, 2013
  2. landrewg

    landrewg Zealot (694) Nov 11, 2008 Michigan
    Trader

    I love the idea of an outdoor beer garden. Also, I want one of those 52 jobs!
    Got any use for a sixty-something year old manager, Dave?
     
    #2 landrewg, Mar 1, 2013
    fishtremble likes this.
  3. JohnB87

    JohnB87 Zealot (673) Mar 14, 2011 Michigan

    I think they really need to expand their seating capacity, at least. I went in on a Sunday at 3:30 pm (they open at 3) and there weren't any available places to sit down.
     
    #3 JohnB87, Mar 1, 2013
  4. mjshearer1

    mjshearer1 Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2011 Michigan

     
    #4 mjshearer1, Mar 1, 2013
  5. MarcatGSB

    MarcatGSB Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2011 Michigan

    FTFY
     
    #5 MarcatGSB, Mar 1, 2013
    JohnB87 and mbockstruck30 like this.
  6. BeyondDescription

    BeyondDescription Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2009 Vermont
    Trader

    320,000 barrels....wow.
     
    #6 BeyondDescription, Mar 1, 2013
  7. MattintheCrown

    MattintheCrown Initiate (0) Jan 18, 2011 Indiana

    Right, that's over 80% of Bell's Comstock facility.
     
    #7 MattintheCrown, Mar 1, 2013
  8. imfrommichigan

    imfrommichigan Initiate (0) Jul 12, 2012 Utah

    No matter what the size of the taproom it will still always be at capacity and I'll still have a hard time getting a table. This is fine with me now because every expansion just brought in more people. Likely, this one will too and it's going to be amazing! Good job Founders.
     
    #8 imfrommichigan, Mar 1, 2013
  9. tommyz

    tommyz Initiate (0) May 28, 2007 Michigan

    Welp...They are getting to big..Time to say the quality is dropping, they dont care about customers, on and on...Oh, wait....:stuck_out_tongue:
     
    #9 tommyz, Mar 1, 2013
    BeerBuckeye likes this.
  10. steebo777

    steebo777 Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2009 Michigan

    I go there 1-2 times a month and have never had a tough time getting a table. This includes KBS day, Black Party and all of the major events. Maybe I'm just lucky but it's always open for me.
     
    #10 steebo777, Mar 2, 2013
  11. imfrommichigan

    imfrommichigan Initiate (0) Jul 12, 2012 Utah

    You got skillz bro! It's really never too bad. I meant that it as a good thing because I love seeing Founders doing well. Luckily, my lady has a great eye for the people getting up and can capture us a table fairly quickly.
     
    #11 imfrommichigan, Mar 2, 2013
  12. steebo777

    steebo777 Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2009 Michigan

    Yeah, that's my skillz is my wife grabbing those open tables.
     
    #12 steebo777, Mar 2, 2013
  13. abaculy

    abaculy Initiate (0) Sep 14, 2005 Michigan

    Is that an Oatmeal Stout on your avatar picture? (which is, of course, taken at the bar at Founders)
     
    #13 abaculy, Mar 2, 2013
  14. kdmcguire10

    kdmcguire10 Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2011 Michigan

    I personally love the idea of the expansion there in Grand Rapids. The outdoor beer garden is a fantastic idea and I always love more local jobs coming in.

    That said, I'm not at all a fan of the continued expansion into new markets. I heard they even looking into British Columbia. At some point, all this expansion will mean less good beer for locals and potential dilution of the quality and dilution of the Founders Brand itself.

    Honestly, I prefer the model Shorts has. Keep it all local! You don't see Russian River and Hill Farmstead rushing to continuously expand into new markets. Is it about making the best beer you can, or is it about making the most money?
     
    #14 kdmcguire10, Mar 2, 2013
    JohnB87, fishtremble and steebo777 like this.
  15. steebo777

    steebo777 Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2009 Michigan

    Good points. I'm just glad I live in a state where I can get Shorts and Founders stuff fairly easily.
     
    #15 steebo777, Mar 2, 2013
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  16. GFG

    GFG Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2012 North Dakota

    If you do it right, you can have both. Plus, when you make good beer you want as many people to have it as possible. I just wish Founders would come to the east side of North Dakota. I get sick of having to load up on them every time I go to Minneapolis in the fall/winter/spring and when I go to Traverse City every summer.
     
    #16 GFG, Mar 2, 2013
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  17. Bay01

    Bay01 Initiate (0) Nov 19, 2008 Illinois

    Why not do both?
     
    #17 Bay01, Mar 2, 2013
    CWBlues, DrWalterWhite, tommyz and 1 other person like this.
  18. mjshearer1

    mjshearer1 Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2011 Michigan

    Founders posted on their Facebook a rendering of their beer garden that'll open in the Fall:

    [​IMG]


    Looks fucking stellar. I hope the finished product lives up to this. Kinda sucks that it's opening in the fall so you can only enjoy it for two days before it starts snowing (thank you, Michigan, for your shitty weather) but next spring/summer, this is going to be awesome.
     
    #18 mjshearer1, Apr 11, 2013
    steebo777 and GFG like this.
  19. MattintheCrown

    MattintheCrown Initiate (0) Jan 18, 2011 Indiana

    Damn, that's sweet. Do we think that's the front of the building (East side)?
     
    #19 MattintheCrown, Apr 11, 2013
  20. mbockstruck30

    mbockstruck30 Pooh-Bah (1,800) Dec 31, 2010 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Based on the location of the silo, that looks to be the case. It looks as though they are getting rid of the parking in the front.
     
    #20 mbockstruck30, Apr 11, 2013
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