DETROIT — The Founders Brewing Co. Detroit taproom is open again, after a tumultuous 2019.
Founders said Tuesday that the Detroit location would reopen Thursday, Feb. 6 at 11 a.m. It has been closed for about three months, following a year-long racial discrimination lawsuit that was dismissed in October 2019.
Founders also plans on contributing the income from the taproom to Detroit charities for the next three years, as well as expanding on the company's charitable giving platform, the Big Pitcher. Founders will partner with the city of Detroit and Detroit and Work to hire more qualified Detroit residents. The company also plans on deepening its relationship with the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan to establish a health and wellness program for the community, including free health screenings, training, nutrition and fitness classes at the Detroit taproom.
“After three months of progress behind-the-scenes, now is the best time to honor our commitments in Detroit and reopen the Detroit taproom,” said company Co-Founder and CEO Mike Stevens in a press release. “While our intentions were good when we first launched the taproom in 2017, we need to make more efforts to connect in meaningful ways with the City of Detroit. We’re going to do this right and we look forward to sharing the journey with our fans, community partners and business partners.”
2019 was a rocky year for the company. Even though a settlement in the racial discrimination lawsuit was reached with former employee Tracy Evans in November, the fallout cost the brewery its former diversity, equity and inclusion director Graci Harkema.
Founders closed the Detroit location on Oct. 25 due to concerns for dozens of Detroit employees' safety. The Grand Rapids taproom remained open.
Founders hired a new diversity, equity and inclusion director, Buzz Thomas, of Detroit-based Thomas Group Consulting. The company also hired a new general manager of the Detroit taproom, Emily Faulkner. Faulkner served as operations manager for TopGolf in Auburn Hills and as general manager for TAP in the MGM Grand Detroit.
“We realize this goes beyond financial donations and we’re committed to becoming a more integral part of the Detroit community,” said Co-Founder and President, Dave Engbers. “We’re not viewing the Detroit taproom as a profit center but instead as a hub for community engagement with the residents of the city. ”
Previous Founders lawsuit stories on 13 ON YOUR SIDE:
- Discrimination lawsuit against Founders dismissed
- Former Founders Brewing employee: 'We have to see color'
- Tracy Evans responds to uproar surrounding discrimination lawsuit
- 'They didn't listen' | Outgoing Founders diversity director says company missed opportunities
- Founders closing Detroit taproom amid controversy
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