Latest news with #BigGroveBrewery
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
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Des Moines Makers Market Bar Hop brings together local vendors, breweries
DES MOINES, Iowa – Dozens of local vendors gathered at Big Grove Brewery, Exile Brewing Company, and Lua Brewing on Sunday for the Des Moines Makers Market Bar Hop event. Local vendors set up stands at all three breweries giving customers a chance to shop. Kristin Griffith the Owner of Les Bees, a local honey business, said that the market event helps small businesses like hers. Decorah man to use lottery winnings on project for dog 'I think is unique because it's an opportunity for local folks that have small businesses, maybe a sideline or maybe it's their main job to come out and sell to the community and just be out and about,' Griffith said. Jack Davis, the Manager at Big Grove Brewery and Taproom, said that Big Grove likes hosting vendor markets. 'We hold a lot of vendor markets throughout the year. Whatever we can do to help out small businesses and give them a little bit more coverage and just give them the space that we they can show off, you know, what they have and what they can sell,' Davis said. To learn more about the Des Moines Makers Market & Bar Hop visit the event website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
