Can you be successful in a small town?

[ryanwithanr]

Are there any brewpub owners out there experiencing success in a town of 20,000 or less?

I live in a great community of about 20000. Great buildings available for great prices. Just wanting to see if pub owners are profitable in smaller communities.

[Scott M]

There are a few threads here about that very issue.....

http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=15963&highlight=small+town

http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=15777&highlight=small+town

http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=14511&highlight=small+town

http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5084&highlight=small+town

From my perspective, it not only can be done, many have done it!!

[drinklocal]

Yes it can!

Were in a town of 5,000! We get a big tourist crowd during the summer, which helps keep you afloat during the winter. But it can definitely be done.

[ryanwithanr]

Thanks for the links. I found a few to be outdated, prior to the market crash. One link was recent, which is a huge help.

@drinklocal:

That's great news. Our town is just under 20,000. No good restaurants, mostly chains, we have three big week long events throughout the year which bring decent tourism. And we sit dead center between two city's of nearly 100,000 people (about 30 min north and south).

[einhorn]

Just my perspective: I think that a brewpub could make it in a very small city, but with one caveat: you realize that you are opening a restaurant with a brewery attached, not the other way around. Cater to locals and tourists, create an interesting atmosphere, fill a niche (sports bar, gastropub, simple tasting room with snacks, etc), and concentrate most of your efforts on the food side - this will make or break you.

Good luck!

[dmalfara]

We opened in Dec. 2008 in a town of about 5,000 residents. However, there is a large medical center in town that employs about 12,000 (many of their employees live throughout the region and commute in).

We opened with a tiny kitchen, a 5 bbl brewhouse, and about 70 seats (bar and dining). We struggled since the beginning keeping up with beer production.

We just completed our expansion. We still have a tiny kitchen, a 5 bbl brewhouse, but we now have about 100 seats (120 during nice weather due to outdoor deck), and we added two 10 bbl fermenters and two 10 bbl serving tanks to help keep up with demand.

I guess it depends on a lot of variables, but this town and the great people throughout the area have welcomed us and supported us from the beginning. It can be done. Study your demographics and build your place around your target market and be consistent (beer, food, atmosphere must all match with what your target audience is seeking). Good Luck!
Damien Malfara
Old Forge Brewing Company
Danville, PA

[ryanwithanr]

Damien

What's your square footage?

[tarmadilo]

Just my perspective: I think that a brewpub could make it in a very small city, but with one caveat: you realize that you are opening a restaurant with a brewery attached, not the other way around. Cater to locals and tourists, create an interesting atmosphere, fill a niche (sports bar, gastropub, simple tasting room with snacks, etc), and concentrate most of your efforts on the food side - this will make or break you.

Good luck!

Exactly what I was going to say! If the town is big enough to support a new eatery/pub, having tasty beer brewed on-premises is just a plus...

Tim

[dmalfara]

square footage

we started out with 1800 sq. ft. and just added about 900 sq. ft. brewery space and 700 sq. ft. dining area. the original space was two floors...about 900 sq. ft. per floor. we added the brewery space next door on the first floor and the new dining area above that on the second floor.

[drinklocal]

Restaurant

We get by from our food sales for sure. I have a 3 bbl brewhouse that i double batch about 6 times a month. In the summer its impossible to keep up with beer production, but we make due.

[Gordvan]

Check out Worth Brewing

they are brewing on a sabco. in a tiny town in Northwood Iowa. population less than 2000.

Peter is not making money hand over fist, and he works his ass off there. I think only a couple of part time bartenders, everything he does by himself. but he draws alot of locals. it's quite a ways off the main highway so he is not picking up random passer bys.

It takes some balls to open a brewpub in a small town of bud drinkers.
I stopped in once and he makes good stuff.

[sbradt]

Small town nan0

Len Moeder at Mo's place in Beaver, KS has been brewing for a number of years in a town of about 750.

http://mosbrewpub.com/

[drewseslu]

And don't forget about Hank is Wiser in Cheney, KS.

[tmh2111]

Define Success

Define success: we're still open after 15 years of brewing and cooking in a town with 1200 people, one traffic light, 3 churches and 2 other bars. We're within 20 minutes of larger towns (over 15,000) and they make the drive because we make it worth their while.

Tim
The Ship Inn

[LuskusDelph]

Define success: we're still open after 15 years of brewing and cooking in a town with 1200 people, one traffic light, 3 churches and 2 other bars. We're within 20 minutes of larger towns (over 15,000) and they make the drive because we make it worth their while.

Tim
The Ship Inn

You DO make it worthwhile. I'll vouch for that.
I've done a LOT of traveling for my work over the last 20 years and can only say that The Ship is at the very top of my list of brewery/restaurants that 'do it right'.
The addition of a brewhouse was a brilliant addition to what was already a great and beer savvy eatery and bar.
Keep it up, Tim.