Latest news with #BigGrove
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iowa's Big Grove Brewery is headed south, revealing plans for Kansas City taproom
Big Grove Brewery's reach is expanding beyond Iowa borders. The eastern Iowa-based brewery announced plans to open its sixth location in the suburbs of the Kansas City metro on the Kansas side. The new taproom is the third state Big Grove will have a physical presence in, joining its four Iowa locations and a soon-to-open facility in Omaha, Nebraska. The Nebraska taproom is slated to open in June, featuring Big Grove Coffee Co. More: Big Grove Brewery distributes $48K to organizations in Johnson, Linn and Polk Counties Big Grove got its start in Solon before quickly expanding to Iowa City. The beer conglomerate known for its popular Easy Eddy beer also has taprooms in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. The exact location of the Kansas City location has not been released, but the anticipated opening date is scheduled for the summer of 2026. The Kansas taproom will feature the same charms as the other locations, including a large patio space, on-site brewing, and a full-service kitchen. More: Big Grove Brewery pours support into communities with new micro-grant program, beer release Since opening in 2013, Big Grove Brewery has become a top 100 craft brewery, distributing its beverages in six states: Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas. Big Grove has received multiple craft brewing medals from the Great American Beer Festival for fan-favorite brews, including the Easy Eddy and Citrus Surfer. The 12,000-square-foot, 15-barrel Des Moines taproom opened in 2022 on the outskirts of downtown. Cedar Rapids joined the fray in 2023 with a 21,000-plus square foot, 15-barrel facility with an open fermentation room. Along with adding taprooms in neighboring states, the fast-growing brewery is offering store directors the opportunity to become company owners at its various taproom locations. This strategic initiative deepens the Big Grove's 'commitment to local leadership, employee empowerment, and building community-rooted taprooms.' More: Celebrate Johnson County's top students in the Press-Citizen's Student of the Year polls ' The ownership model will debut with the Omaha location, followed by Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Solon, and Kansas City. 'We believe the best way to grow is by growing together,' said Doug Goettsch, co-founder of Big Grove Brewery, in a press release. 'Our team members are the soul of this company, and offering them this opportunity to build equity in their stores is one of the most meaningful ways we can invest back into our people.' Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@ or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_ This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa's Big Grove Brewery reveals plans for Kansas City taproom
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
More big checks from Des Moines' Big Grove Brewery
DES MOINES, Iowa — In less than three years on Ingersoll Avenue, Big Grove Brewery has already developed a reputation as a very generous neighbor. 'I almost walked right down the street and shook somebody's hand!' said Amy Landrigan, the executive director of The Beacon — a nearby charity dedicated to helping women in crisis. On Wednesday, Big Grove made The Beacon one of two recipients of its annual Big Grove for Good grants. 'First of all, it's right in our backyard in the Sherman Hill neighborhood,' said Lindsey Rawson-Van Wyk, Big Grove's community coordinator at its Des Moines location. 'We can literally walk there, they can walk to us, so that felt like a great way to support literally our neighbors.' Selected from a pool of applicants, The Beacon and Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice each got $8,000 checks from the newly formed Big Grove For Good foundation. The Beacon says that money will go a long way. Greenfield resident uncertain about rebuilding after tornado 'It costs $26 a day at a minimum to provide services to the women at The Beacon,' Landrigan said, 'so that $8,000 divided by 26, we can provide for that many women for that many days this year. That's just huge for us.' As a woman who originally came to The Beacon as a client, Marlena Hemphill can attest to all the good this money can do. 'When you're in that situation where life is coming down hard on you and you don't know which way to turn,' she said, 'it just feels amazing to know that you're supported by people who don't even know you.' Rawson-Van Wyk says this annual event has become one of her favorite parts of her job. 'Making those phone calls each year to the recipients honestly still brings tears to my eyes,' she smiled. 'Even though we're in our third year of doing it.' Big Grove is a brewery … and some of the women at The Beacon are struggling with sobriety and substance abuse. Landrigan says Big Grove made a special effort to bridge the gap. 'They've created a line of mocktails,' she said. 'That may not sound like a big deal, but we knew they had us in mind and we really appreciated that.' Big Grove has written grants to seven Des Moines non-profits so far, with all of the money coming straight off their bottom line. It's an effort that has not gone unnoticed. 'They don't just want to be another bar and another restaurant,' said Landrigan. 'They want to truly invest in their neighborhood.' Metro News: Downtown ride honors nearly 400 Iowa cyclists injured, killed in last year More big checks from Des Moines' Big Grove Brewery Homeowner describes how his family escaped burning home that left 3 dead Iowa man accused of fatally neglecting dog and 'dumping' its body to hide crime Names of victims in deadly Des Moines house fire released Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
15-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Big Grove Brewery opens coffee shop and expands into other cities
Big Grove Brewery is expanding its footprint across the Midwest, with a taproom opening in Omaha, Nebraska, next month and an eventual sixth location in Kansas City. Why it matters: The brewery's growth bucks the national trend of a shrinking craft beer industry. State of play: In June, Big Grove is opening its first out-of-state taproom in Omaha. It also opened its surprising newest venture — Big Grove Coffee Co. — in April. The move to expand its offerings stems from changing consumer tastes, says Bryan Farrell, marketing director for Big Grove. "It's really hard to get a good fix on Gen Z as they become of legal drinking age," Farrell says. "It does seem like they're drinking less than the generations before." Flashback: Big Grove opened in Solon in 2013 and opened its Iowa City taproom in 2017. Since then, it's opened taprooms in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, as well as a second production facility in Iowa City. Zoom in: Several things have helped the brewery continue to expand, including its sheer production size, Farrell says. There is a tipping point where breweries either need to get large enough to make the labor and materials costs worth it, or stay small and go into local bottle shops. Big Grove distributes in six states, adding Minnesota to its roster last month. The company works with Casey's, Hy-Vee and Fareway to get on shelves. Between the lines: That's been helpful, especially as foot traffic hasn't fully returned to taprooms since the pandemic, says Noreen Otto, president of the Iowa Brewers Guild. What's next: Expect a continued shift into other beverages, including nonalcoholic beer, canned cocktails and drinks with health benefits.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Des Moines businesses prepare for Mother's Day
DES MOINES, Iowa — There's a good chance if you're celebrating Mother's Day this weekend, flowers may be involved. 'I think flowers, I think it just says it all. It's one of the most beautiful creations there is, is flowers. And they save it for a day like this,' Tom Boesen of Boesen the Florist shop said. They've been preparing thousands of custom pre-orders and pre-made arrangements ready for last minute pickup. 'Today we did over 600 deliveries. We did 300 yesterday. The planning starts way back,' Boesen said. Americans are expected to spend $3.2 billion on flowers this Mother's Day. Arrangements at Boesen's are $50 and up. But have they noticed customers buying fewer or less expensive arrangements, given the economy? Ankeny mother-daughter teaching duo seeks to set new standard of inclusion 'I think the answer is absolutely. And that's not just because of the cost. That's because, you know, by the time they go to the gas station and whatnot, everything went up, but they still send flowers,' he said. 'Right now as far as the flowers, all of them are grown right here in the United States from seeds. A lot of our bouquets, the flowers come from Ecuador and Colombia. We're seeing a slight increase at that point, but quite honestly right now, we haven't passed it on to the customer. There's enough volume, we just want people to continue to say it with flowers.' In a National Retail Federation survey, Americans are expected to spend on average $259 this Mother's Day. That's up $5 from last year. So that could include something like flowers and/or brunch. 'We definitely have some big crowds on Mother's Day. It's all hands on deck,' Shauna McKnight from Big Grove Brewery & Taproom said. 'We'll have a special brunch menu as well. We'll have a really yummy chorizo breakfast sandwich, some eggs benedicts, free flowers for moms as well. We're making sangria that I'm really excited about. It's going to be a really yummy strawberry sangria and we'll have mimosas and all the other yummy brunch things as well.' If you don't have a brunch reservation at a restaurant for Sunday yet, Big Grove says you can call them about 30 minutes before you arrive to get on the waitlist. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Big Grove Launches First-of-Its-Kind Neighborhood Micro-Grant Program
"With Neighborhood Beer, we're putting our money where our beer is." Media Assets IOWA CITY, Iowa, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing that sometimes smaller neighborhood projects make the biggest impact, today Big Grove Brewery launches The Neighborhood Beer and with it, a new micro-grant initiative created to support local projects that enhance and revitalize neighborhoods while also just doing good for those that live within them. This unique program, the first of its kind in the beer industry, offers direct funding to individuals and organizations, through the Big Grove for Good Foundation, for small-scale, high-impact community projects. "Big Grove has always been about strengthening the neighborhoods where we operate," said Matt Swift, co-founder and CEO of Big Grove. "We intentionally build where we can contribute to revitalization efforts. Now, we're taking that commitment further—using our beer sales to directly fund neighborhood improvement projects led by the people who live there." Big Grove For Good Foundation To manage this innovative program, Big Grove has established the Big Grove For Good Foundation, a private 501(c)(3) foundation, responsible for the setup and operation of the program through reviewing applications, selecting recipients, and distributing the funds. The foundation operates separately from the brewery, ensuring transparency and focus on community impact. Doug Goettsch, Big Grove co-founder, will chair the foundation's board of directors. To kickstart the initiative, Big Grove is contributing $20,000 in seed money to start issuing micro-grants at the brand's launch. The foundation will also oversee Big Grove's other community-focused initiatives including in-kind donation requests, sponsorships, and grants to various nonprofit organizations. The Neighborhood Beer: Beer That Gives Back Funding for the micro-grants comes directly from sales of The Neighborhood Beer, a new lager now available at all Big Grove taprooms and available at retail locations in Iowa, Nebraska, and Western Illinois starting March 10th. For every case sold, $1 goes directly to Big Grove For Good to fund the micro-grants and neighborhood betterment within Big Grove's distribution and taproom footprint. "Adding a lager to our portfolio was always something we were looking to do, but we knew there had to be a differentiator in how we approached the market. What separates Big Grove is the good we do in the communities we are in, and that's where the idea for the micro-grants came from. We hope these micro-grants inspire individuals and organizations to take action in their neighborhoods," said Goettsch. "We're putting our money where our beer is and helping people create change—one person, one project at a time." Building Stronger Communities, One Grant at a Time Big Grove is committed to raising awareness for The Neighborhood Beer and its impact. Customers will see in-store promotions, QR codes linking to the micro-grant application, and advertising and social media campaigns showcasing funded projects. While the first packaging showcases the Solon, Iowa community, upcoming packaging will begin to spotlight some of the micro-grants and individuals supported. "The more we tell these stories, the more real it will be for everyone in our communities to know these micro-grants are available to them. We want to give people a reason to believe," said Goettsch. Big Grove For Good Micro-Grants Grant Amounts: $250–$1,000 Who Can Apply: Individuals and organizations in Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska (with other Midwest states being added in 2025) Eligible Projects: Initiatives that improve neighborhoods or better the lives of you and your neighbors, such as improving basketball courts, building lending libraries, planting trees, even purchasing a mixer to make baked goods for community events, and more. How to Apply: Online at or via QR code on any Neighborhood Beer package. Funding Process: Grants are awarded on a rolling basis. "The more beer we sell, the more we give back." About Big Grove BreweryBig Grove Brewery is among Iowa's top beer producers and is a Top 100 craft brewery nationally. In 2013, the brewery started as a 3.5-barrel brewhouse in Solon, Iowa, and focused on freshly made craft beer and elevated pub cuisine. The brewery opened an 8,000-square-foot production facility four years later, anchoring the Iowa City Riverfront Crossings redevelopment project with additional concepts opening in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Big Grove has received multiple craft brewing medals, including a Great American Beer Festival (GABF) gold medal for Easy Eddy, its flagship Hazy IPA, as well as medals for Citrus Surfer Fruited Wheat, and a GABF silver medal for Festbier, a Bavarian-style Mä About Big Grove For Good FoundationThe Big Grove For Good Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) organization committed to strengthening communities in regions where Big Grove operates and has a presence. The foundation manages The Neighborhood Beer program, which provides micro-grants to individuals and organizations working to improve their neighborhoods. The foundation also administers sponsorship and in-kind donation requests, their Beers for a Cause program, plus "Good Giving" grants to support nonprofit organizations in Big Grove's three core categories: Trees, Trails & Water; Equity & Equality; and Our Backyard. While inspired and founded by the values of Big Grove Brewery, the Big Grove For Good Foundation operates independently, ensuring a dedicated commitment to community View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Big Grove Sign in to access your portfolio
