Thought this was an interesting piece on how breweries in rural areas can help revive or keep small towns going... cheers, all! https://www.curbed.com/2017/6/13/15788960/brewing-economic-development-craft-beer
I don't think it's just small towns either, they can help neighborhoods in and around cities to regain vitality as well.
There has been a huge revitalization going on in downtown Sioux Falls, SD and beer has been a big player. There are now three breweries/taprooms and three non-brewery taprooms who are in one area. I note that they're working together to promote what is becoming the beer district and downtown.
To your point, the Scott's Addition neighborhood of Richmond is a perfect example of this. Five years ago it was for the most part, slightly run down commercial space with a few fringe options, like Hardywood about 7 blocks away, a craft leaning Chinese restaurant and Buz and Needs. Now there's 3 or 4 breweries directly in the neighborhood as well as a meadery, cidery and very nice converted warehouses into those fancy apartment spaces. That area would have been straight blight without craft beer, and nobody could ever convince me differently.
Vermont overall has definitely benefited from the influx of breweries starting up in the state. These breweries have become legitimate tourist attractions that have propped up hotels and restaurants and other businesses.
My town isn't bad in any sense. Just to me boring albeit a tourist destination. In winter it's a ghost town. In summer I want to shoot myself because of all the people. 2 breweries popped up. One in the island nearby and the other down the street. I like that it now gives me something to do in the winter. No local bars even. Just a Fridays and applebees. The town is literally a stretch of highway with a secret suburb behind it.
