CLEVELAND — Saucy Brew Works has pivoted away from its expansion project in Independence after an opportunity recently came up to buy out the lease of Title Boxing located near the brewery on Detroit Avenue, the brewery's CEO said Monday.
Saucy Brew Works CEO Brent Zimmerman said the space at Title Boxing will allow the brewery to add 20,000 barrels of capacity in the current Ohio City location.
“It’s bittersweet, but it’s a win-win,” Zimmerman said. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to pivot sometimes. And this option kind of just fell in our laps. The cost of the equipment, etc., alone saved us four-plus million dollars vs. building a new building and brewery in Independence. And then you add on top of it crazy commodity inflation. The project in Independence was getting just out of control.”
Zimmerman said the new plans to expand on the brewery’s current Ohio City location made sense for everyone involved.
“Our brewhouse had 20,000 barrels of capacity left in it, and originally we just didn’t have enough space downtown to put more tanks in. And now we do,” Zimmerman said.
The Independence expansion project included putting a new production facility and beer hall next to Top Golf in Independence.
“It’s disappointing in that you spent time and capital trying to get this build going, but we’re learned a lot of things and we’ve learned that things change,” he said. “I think the most important thing about business is you’ve got to adapt and you have to take what’s given to you. You can’t force things, and in this case, it worked out for what I think will be the better, to be honest with you. But it’s obviously an amazing location. Whoever buys (it) is going to do really well there.”
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