Hopcat and Lansing Brewing Company Coming to East Lansing

Discussion in 'Great Lakes' started by kdmcguire10, Oct 25, 2012.

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  1. kdmcguire10

    kdmcguire10 Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2011 Michigan

    Very exciting. Beer scene in Lansing/East Lansing just keeps getting better:

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    BARFLY VENTURES TO OPEN HOPCAT (EAST LANSING) AND LANSING BREWING COMPANY IN 2013

    Projects will create approximately 100 new jobs

    LANSING, Mich., October 25, 2012 – BarFly Ventures, owners of several toprated bars in downtown Grand Rapids, today announced it has signed letters of intent to open a new brewpub in downtown Lansing and a new HopCat restaurant and craft beer establishment in East Lansing.

    Lansing Brewing Co. and HopCat (East Lansing) will build on BarFly’s reputation for creating uniquely designed restaurants and bars with an emphasis on high-quality craft beer and food.
    • HopCat (East Lansing) will be located on the ground floor of The Residences, 211 Ann St., in the heart of downtown East Lansing (on the corner of Grove and Albert streets). HopCat (East Lansing) will offer an extensive food menu and 100 craft beers on tap, the largest draft selection in the state.
    • Lansing Brewing Co. will be on the ground floor of the new Stadium District Apartments, 500 E. Michigan Ave, across from Cooley Law School Stadium, the home of the Lansing Lugnuts. The opening of Lansing Brewing Co. revives the name of a brewery that operated in Lansing between 1898 and 1914.
    “Lansing and East Lansing have thousands of residents who are passionate about good food and good beer, but the market seems under-served,” said Mark Sellers, owner of BarFly Ventures. “I’m excited to revive the historic Lansing Brewing Co. name downtown and bring HopCat’s unmatched selection of craft beers and highquality food to downtown East Lansing.”lthough BarFly is located in Grand Rapids, it has strong ties to East Lansing. Sellers is a life-long Spartan fan and graduate of MSU’s Broad School of Business.

    “My time at Michigan State was the best 11 years of my life,” Sellers said. “I look forward to meeting new friends, playing a positive role in the Lansing and East Lansing business communities, and sharing my love of great food and quality beer.” BarFly project coordinator Sam Short is an East Lansing resident whose wife works at MSU College of Law. Sam has helped lead the effort to relaunch the historic Grand Rapids Brewing Co. in downtown Grand Rapids this year. In 2013, he’ll manage the startup of the two Lansing-area projects.

    The businesses are expected to create about 50 new jobs at each location. Both will follow BarFly’s commitment to sustainability. Through an extensive recycling and composting program implemented company-wide, BarFly’s establishments have prevented more than 90 percent of the waste they generate from going to landfills. Lansing Brewing Co. and HopCat (East Lansing) are expected to open in late summer of 2013, subject to final lease negotiations.

    About BarFly Ventures:
    BarFly Ventures was founded by Grand Rapids native Mark Sellers and his wife, Michele, as a holding company for the couple's pubs. BarFly’s flagship establishment, HopCat, opened in 2008 and has been rated No. 3 Beer Bar on Planet Earth by BeerAdvocate magazine and the No. 2 Beer Bar in America by the readers of CraftBeer.com. In 2012 GQ magazine declared the burger at BarFly’s Stella's Lounge as the “Best Burger in America.” In November, BarFly will open the state’s first all-organic brewery, Grand Rapids Brewing Co., in downtown Grand Rapids. In 2013, Barfly will open Lansing Brewing Co. in downtown Lansing and HopCat (East Lansing). Follow the progress on Facebook at http://facebook.com/LansingBrewingCompany and at http://facebook.com/HopCatEastLansing

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  2. mjshearer1

    mjshearer1 Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2011 Michigan

    Nice! Glad to see HopCat expanding. If it's anything like the one in GR you guys are in for a real treat.
     
  3. mattizmyname

    mattizmyname Initiate (0) Aug 2, 2012

    Well this made my day. Too bad I won't be in EL much longer.
     
  4. GRDave

    GRDave Crusader (407) Oct 7, 2011 Michigan

    Read the article on mlive.com and it says that the Lansing Hopcat will have 100 taps but no bottles
     
  5. steebo777

    steebo777 Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2009 Michigan

    Bad f-ing ass!!!
     
    Bitter_Echo likes this.
  6. Itoclown

    Itoclown Zealot (580) Jun 19, 2008 Michigan
    Trader

    Damn. I graduated 5 years too early from there.
     
  7. kylelenk

    kylelenk Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2012 Michigan

    Hopefully the service is better in EL. I frequent Hopcat often and the service is almost embarrassingly bad. Nice the first few times but they don't often get "new" or "rare" beers in (if they do they are usually out right away). Pyramid Scheme which used to be owned by the group that owns HopCat has a deal with Short's and features 10 taps at all times. Have been able to find some rarities like Funkin Punkin, Bourbon Barrel Huma Lupa, etc.
     
    beerindex likes this.
  8. spry

    spry Initiate (0) Oct 8, 2009 Michigan

    This is great news. Is there any concern about getting the required licenses? I'm new in this area but I was told that it's quite hard to get liquor licenses around here, especially in East Lansing.
     
  9. otto251068

    otto251068 Initiate (0) Apr 4, 2010 Michigan

    Michigan keeps getting better and better
     
  10. dfillius

    dfillius Pooh-Bah (1,636) Jan 15, 2006 Iowa
    Pooh-Bah Society

    So psyched to live in Lansing right now!
     
    theecaleb likes this.
  11. MarcatGSB

    MarcatGSB Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2011 Michigan

    Mark Sellers is the fucking man. Are you kidding me? Talk about investing in a state, eat it Illitch.
     
  12. adamdd

    adamdd Initiate (0) May 9, 2011 Michigan

    I feel like it's time for a Fitz South. Somewhere close so we can visit you in the winter.
     
    JohnB87 likes this.
  13. JohnB87

    JohnB87 Zealot (649) Mar 14, 2011 Michigan

    Absolutely.
     
  14. MarcatGSB

    MarcatGSB Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2011 Michigan

    Well, we thought about a BBQ/brewery in Houghton, that shaves about 40 miles off...
     
  15. Bay01

    Bay01 Initiate (0) Nov 19, 2008 Illinois

    [quote="MarcatGSB, post: 780895, eat it Illitch.[/quote]

    How many beers do I have to drink for Sellers to buy the Red Wings?
     
  16. MarcatGSB

    MarcatGSB Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2011 Michigan

    I dont know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if Sellers had the buying power/investors to make a run at a professional team. Guy seems to have some very, very, very deep pockets. Body's exhibit? Raise the Titanic from the ocean floor? Yeah...
     
  17. MichPaul

    MichPaul Initiate (0) Jan 28, 2012 Michigan

    HopCat's been stellar EVERY time I've been there. Do you usually have bad luck?
     
    MarcatGSB likes this.
  18. kylelenk

    kylelenk Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2012 Michigan

    Possibly. I've been in at midnight with about 10 other people in the bar and it's taken about 20 minutes for someone to come over. On top of this, their specials are so subjective. $6 burger and beer used to be limited to Hopcat brewed beers but they've lately been choosing the cheapest beer on the menu. The other night, the deal only included NH Full Circle....which is awful. Although the bartenders seem knowledgeable, most of their servers know nothing about beer. I've had firkins confused with nitros before. Oh well, minds well chalk it up as bad luck with probably 15 sub-stellar experiences.
     
  19. MarcatGSB

    MarcatGSB Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2011 Michigan

    I typically don't return to a place after the 12th bad experience. To each their own.
     
    JohnB87 and steebo777 like this.
  20. theecaleb

    theecaleb Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2009 Alaska

    This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to Lansing. I have been eyeing that spot since they built it. Prime location in the stadium district! Pumped!
     
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