There’s another brewery coming to the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line.
The owners of Urban Growler Brewing Co. recently signed a lease to move into 6,200 square feet at 2325 Endicott St., a half-mile north of a Central Corridor LRT stop at University and Raymond avenues in St. Paul’s Midway area.
Co-owners Jill Pavlak and Deb Loch looked at the location a year ago and immediately thought it was “built to be a beer hall.” But restrictive zoning rules that would have prevented them from serving beer on site caused them to consider sites in Minneapolis. The zoning rules were amended in March so that small breweries can operate taprooms.
“We always wanted that to happen, we just didn’t think it was going to be a possibility anytime soon,” Pavlak said this week.
The owners of Urban Growler Brewing Co. hope to open this fall at 2325 Endicott St., St. Paul. (Photo courtesy Update Co.)
Financing for build out and equipment is ongoing but the hope is to open the brewery this fall. Urban Growler is seeking a $65,000 grant and a $90,000 loan from the city of St. Paul to help buy equipment and renovate the new space. Lifetime memberships that would allow people to invest in exchange for a lifetime supply of their beer are also being considered.
Urban Growler’s new home is immediately south of another soon-to-open brewery, Bang Brewing, which is located at 2320 Capp Road. Burning Brothers Brewing, at 1750 Thomas Ave., St. Paul, is opening two miles east this summer. Surly Brewing Co.’ new $20 million destination brewery, at 3171 Fifth St. SE., Minneapolis is roughly two miles to the west.
Pavlak said the cluster of breweries will create a destination effect that will help everyone filling pints along the LRT line. “We see that as a huge positive,” she said.
