New Microbrewery

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   Journal story....

Microbrew planned for downtown Middletow

Snider Building LLC has taken possession of the historic Dan E. Snider Ford Dealership Building, also known as the former Sonshine building next to the Manchester Inn, and is working to give Middletown its first microbrewery/brewpub.

“This project will stand on its own, but it’s also a natural complement to the redeveloped Manchester Hotel,” said William Grau, a managing member of both the Snider and Manchester development groups. “The layout is perfectly suited for a microbrewery and it’s a great revamp of an historic structure.”

Plans for the Snider Building include restoring it to its original look. It’s expected the project will be complete by the fall of 2016. The majority of the three-story, 32,376-square-foot building will be utilized for manufacturing beer and include a packaging and canning line. “This project will stand on its own, but it’s also a natural complement to the redeveloped Manchester Hotel,” said William Grau, a managing member of both the Snider and Manchester development groups.

Approximately 3,000 square feet of the building’s former auto showroom will be used as a taproom/brewpub and is expected to employ 28 full- and part-time workers

THE GOOD NEWS:

IT WILL BE NICE TO SEE ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO FILL THE EMPTY BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN.

THE OTHER SIDE:

“This project will stand on its own, but it’s also a natural complement to the redeveloped Manchester Hotel,” said William Grau, a managing member of both the Snider and Manchester development groups

BUT THE MANCHESTER HAS NOT BEEN REDEVELOPED AND ONE CAN'T BE SURE IT WILL UNTIL WE ALL SEE THE END RESULT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MR. GRAU IS TALKING AS IF THE MANCHESTER HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED. A LONG WAY FROM IT ACTUALLY. FURTHERMORE, IF THE MANCHESTER WERE TO BE FULLY RE-DEVELOPED, DOESN'T GUARANTEE SUCCESS TO THIS MICROBREWERY. MAY...MAY NOT HELP. 

NOW, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT AS TO DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT....

"The developers plan to partner with a brewer to produce and self-distribute the beers both locally and regionally"

A TREND HERE. ANY NEW DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT IDEA IS ANNOUNCED IN SPECULATION FASHION WITH NO REAL CONCRETE WORK HAVING BEEN DONE. IN THIS CASE, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE BUT THE ARTICLE ALSO INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THE INITIATORS OF THIS IDEA HAVE NOT YET ALIGNED THEMSELVES WITH A MICROBREWER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. WOULDN'T IT SEND A MORE RE-ASSURING MESSAGE IF THE ACTUAL OCCUPYING BUSINESS WAS ACTUALLY IN PLACE?

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE TYPICAL NEW DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IS INTRODUCED TO US AS MORE OF A "SPECULATION/IDEA/MIGHT HAPPEN" RATHER THAN A "DEFINITELY WILL HAPPEN/ALL THE STARS ARE ALIGNED" CONFIDENCE LEVEL. 

WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED WHEN:

1. CINCY STATE CAME TO TOWN....AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENDED?

2. THE OLD JOURNAL BUILDING WAS PURCHASED....AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

3. THE THATCHER BUILDINGS WERE PURCHASED....AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

4. THE MANCHESTER WAS CITY PURCHASED ASKING $350,000....AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

5. WHEN THE CITY GAVE BUSINESS LOANS TO THOSE WHO WANTED TO START IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA....AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

6. WHEN THE CITY THREW MONEY AT THE ROSE FURNITURE BUILDING.....AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

7. THE CITY THREW $300,000+ AT THE PAC BUILDING....AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

8. THE DUNCAN OIL/CABINET SHOP/OFFICE OUTFITTERS PROPERTY PURCHASES FIASCO.....AND WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

9. AND ON AND ON IT GOES......AND WHAT HAS REALLY HAPPENED DOWNTOWN TO DATE?  