Where Should the Brooklyn Brewery Set Up Shop?
That was the subject of a segment on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show yesterday. Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy lamented the lack of industrial space in the borough, a subject he’s been pushing since publishing an account of his four-year search for new space with the Center for an Urban Future in June. Despite the dismal…
That was the subject of a segment on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show yesterday. Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy lamented the lack of industrial space in the borough, a subject he’s been pushing since publishing an account of his four-year search for new space with the Center for an Urban Future in June. Despite the dismal prospects, Hindy remains committed to brewing Brooklyn beer in, you know, Brooklyn. He mentioned Red Hook and Sunset Park as possibilities. Where do you guys think he should relocate?
You can listen to the segment here:
Bye Bye Brewery? [WNYC]
Brooklyn Brewery Chief Bemoans Lack of Industrial Space [Brownstoner]
HDR Brooklyn Brewery. Photo by Craig S.
WBer, I think it’s about both, and there is the rub. It seems to me that Hindy is a relatively conservative businessman. That’s not a criticism; it’s probably why he has succeded. But at this point, if he wants to brew in New York and have a groovy beer garden and retail shop, he may have to take on a bunch of investors and debt and roll the dice on a location that gives him what he wants. Williamsburg and DUMBO are probably strongest, but they are going to be expensive. If he goes cheap, he’s going to end up somewhere that won’t enjoy the foot traffic that he wants/needs. In the meantime, Hindy has to stop whining in the press … it’s really unbecoming.
How about Philadelphia: its the new Brooklyn!
WBer hit the nail on the head.
We all admire the aesthetics of older industrial areas such as Tribeca and Dumbo. My guess is that BB is looking to set up a boutique brewery with a (profitable) beer garden in such an area, or an area that has this potential. Some of the suggestions on this post would be fine for that purpose.
If, however, they are looking to truly scale up their operations, then few, if any, of the suggestions are suitable. Modern factory operations are a dreary affair, usually located in non-descript industrial parks that provide what they need: good transporation links, be it truck or rail, cheap utilities and a local labor market that has the requisite skills. Brooklyn offers few locations that meet this criteria.
I’d guess there are some places available in less desirable neighborhoods in eastern Brooklyn like East New York, or somewhere along the BQE as it heads out toward JFK. You know, places where those of us who read Brownstoner really don’t go – which is why I don’t know what’s out there either. It’s just a guess on my part.
I see a lot of what looks like warehouse (or at least usable) space in the Crown Heights/Prospect Heights area — between Pacific/St. Marks and Bedford/Washington. Currently abandoned or used for auto-related industry.
Define “shop”.
Are we looking for a beer garden/boutique brewery location, similar to their set up in Williamsburg? Or do they actually want to brew large quantities of beer in Brooklyn? (In other words, is this about marketing or brewing?) Two very different scenarios, with very different answers. The former needs to be accessible to public transit, the latter to trucks. The former needs a modest (though by no means small) amount of space, the latter needs a large amount of space. Etc.
I suspect BB is looking for the former, which greatly limits the areas of opportunity.
What about Bushwick? It would tie-in nicely w/the brewing history of the area. A restaurant/beer garden could do well there, too…surely there’s ample commercial space there to support such an enterprise, right?
Franklin and Bergen. An old brewery building is there and I beleive it’s on the market.
AClintonHillLady, the brewery already is in Williamsburg, and there’s no suitable space to expand there.