Chelsea Seeks Microbrewery
July 26, 2008
Christine Nass, a fellow beer enthusiast, has been giving me a few great story ideas. One of the stories that
Chris passed along was from the Michigan Beer Guide. The city of Chelsea actively seeking a micro-brewery. I wish other cities would do this. Chris works for the company, Vanston/O’Brien Inc., that is renovating this particular property. The building is about 4 thousand square feet. Here is what Michigan Beer Guide ran in the May/ June issue…
“David Hughes wrote to say he has purchased and is currently renovating a building in downtown Chelsea, MI. ‘The building was originally intended for a start up microbrewer which decided to pursue a location in Plym
outh instead. This location has been approved for this use by the City of Chelsea and is in a zoning district that would also allow a restaurant, bar or retail use. This site and building is an ideal location for a microbrewery. Many of the local residents and businesses were quite disappointed after the original brewing group decided not to move in. There is also a small group of local business people that have expressed interest in investing in a micro brewing group which may allow a certain degree of financial support.’”
The location is near The Purple Rose Theatre ran by Jeff Daniels. Chelsea was also home to the first micro brewery in the state in 1982.
A lot has changed in the brewing industry in the last 26 years making the odds for success much better than it was back then. More people love quality craft beer and there are more homebrewers like Larry Bell that have the ability to brew world class beer.
If interested, you could contact me and I’ll pass the contact onto Chris or here is the contact inforamtion for V/O Inc.
Posted in Beer News, Brewery/Brewpub
July 26th, 2008 at 9:40 am
As a resident of Chelsea, and one for whom this particular building is not only within walking distance of but is visible from the second story of my home, I say, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SOMEONE start a microbrewery here!! I love living in Chelsea but if there was one thing I could change it would be to have a brewpub within walking distance of our house. My husband and I would be instant regulars at such an establishment.
July 26th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Sarah (who is my friend IRL) beat me to posting. We were just talking about this issue last night. I live in A2, but I’d love to see a brewpub in our city to the west!
July 27th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I am also a resident of Chelsea and have been thinking (for quite some time) that the ideal business in this town would be a craft brewery. There are quite a few areas that would be perfect along Main St. that would be perfect. I’d definitely be a regular as well. Having a new hangout in Chelsea would be great, new blood in the community is always great as many of the residents tend to look down on new-comers when you walk into the older establishments in town.
August 10th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
’twas not Larry Bell who started the Chelsea Real Ale Company back then. It was Ted Badgerow and a guy named Gordon. The brewery was located in the clock tower building and sputtered along for almost a year. The products were (real) Ale, Stout and Porter and they were pretty good. It was not the market for the product that was lacking but rather a lack of sound business skills that did her in. I was one of the original investors and might also be interested in taking another chance. I have quite a bit of memorabilia from the brewery (p.o.p. ads, t-shirt, bottles and (wooden) cases if there are any collectors out there.
August 11th, 2008 at 6:08 am
Sorry, I read the paragraph below wrong I’ll change the post. For some reason my dumb ass read it as he opened it. Thank you for the correction.
“The first micro to open in Michigan would not do so until 1982, when the Real Ale Company opened in Chelsea. Homebrewer Larry Bell would closely monitor progress at the Chelsea facility, which closed its doors before Bell opened his now famous Kalamazoo Brewing Company (A.K.A. Bell’s) in 1985: the same year Stroh closed their Detroit plant.”