MUSKEGON, Mich. — A Muskegon brewery is helping breathe new life into a historic company as part of the Adelaide Pointe development.
Pigeon Hill Brewing Co. is partnering with the brand new Muskegon Brewing Co. to brew beer under the Muskegon Brewing Co. name.
The new Muskegon Brewing Co. is part of the $250 million Adelaide Pointe development on Muskegon Lake.
The mixed-use development also includes a marina, hotel, event center, three parks, office space, an event center, and up to 400 housing units.
The Muskegon Brewing Company originally opened in the 1800s and served as a hub for travelers to the region before eventually closing in the early 1900s. Developer and owner of Ibex Hospitality Group, Dr. Emily Leetsma, is drawing on that history for the project.
"Bringing back some of that history, I thought was really cool. So, you know, I thought bringing back the name Muskegon Brewing Company would be a great thing," said Dr. Leetsma. "I really wanted to pay homage to the history of that site, or of the site and, you know, kind of tell the story of how the site has really given Muskegon prosperity for a long time."
From the beginning, Dr. Leetsma's vision for the Muskegon Brewing Company didn't actually include brewing beers on site.
"I had no intention or desire to be a brewery. So what I did was I reached out to Pigeon Hill, who, you know, in my opinion, is one of the best in town at brewing beer, really well known, to see if they'd be interested in sort of collaboration between us and them, where they would brew the beer for us. They would brew new recipes under the Muskegon Brewing Company label, and then they would sell them to us and we take care of the food portion. And that's where Muskegon Brewing Company was born," Dr. Leetsma explained.
The new Muskegon Brewing Company seeks to be a "hospitality hub" for the city, with easy access to the restaurant and bar by car, boat, foot and bike.
"We're really excited to serve everyone again, by boat, by car, by bike path, because the bike path runs right by our restaurant as well. This summer, we're really excited to be a hub of activity, all sorts of activities in Muskegon," said Dr. Leetsma.
The restaurant and bar will have outdoor seating on a second-floor patio overlooking Muskegon Lake and the new marina. The interior boasts a circular 42-seat bar as well as event space with catering options.
Construction of the Muskegon Brewing Company is already underway with a grand opening date being eyed for June of this year. Dr. Leetsma says that the marina is scheduled to open for Memorial Day Weekend and the first condos will begin to open in July.
Muskegon Brewing Company Renderings
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