By Blake Haas
BLOOMINGTON – Thanks to customer support, one local business is expanding despite the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“We have a small taproom right now that allows individuals to come in and sample the beer that we make,” Chad Beavers, Owner/Founder, and head brewmaster at Lil Beaver Brewery said. “There’s not a whole lot else to this location. We did put in a new large patio outback, which has quite a bit larger capacity than we have inside the facility in our current taproom. The new taproom is a blank slate right now so we were able to build it from the ground up for the image that we’ve always felt the image that Lil Beaver portrays.”
Beavers said the brewery purchased the adjacent lot on Finance Drive last year, where a new patio and parking lot were just the first steps of the expansion.
The second phase of the expansion will move the taproom into the adjacent unit at 16 Currency Drive.
“In addition to having a more robust merchandise area, which is something we’ve seen at some other locations that we like, we will also have a full kitchen once we get everything completed,” Beavers added. “We’re looking at several months out before all that, but it will be a much more robust experience as compared to what one would get now in our taproom.
The facility will also have a mezzanine area, a private video gaming area, and a flexible “barrel room” for private parties.
The plans are currently under review by the City of Bloomington before construction can begin.
Beavers said he expects the new expansion to be finished before the end of the year.
Blake Haas can be reached at Blake.Haas@Cumulus.
