A Northern Kentucky craft brewery is under contract to purchase a downtown Cincinnati building, which it plans to convert into a taproom, performance space and possibly a bourbon bar.
A Northern Kentucky craft brewery is under contract to purchase a downtown Cincinnati building, which it plans to convert into a taproom, performance space and maybe even a bourbon bar.
Bircus Brewing Co., which opened in Ludlow in the former Ludlow Theater in 2018, is under contract to acquire the former Spatz Foods building at 607 Main St. downtown. Owner Paul Miller – the founder of Circus Mojo – told me that he was attracted to the proximity to the Aronoff Theater and the building being on the streetcar line.
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"I see incredible value in being right there and doing shows, short little circus vignettes before and after Aronoff shows," he said. "The amount of traffic downtown is incredible."
Bircus operates its brewery and taproom out of the old Ludlow Theater, where it also hosts performances, circus and otherwise, and it just opened a pizzeria in conjunction with North South Baking Co. in Covington.
Katie Nycz and Paul Miller are teaming up on a new pizzeria and bakery in Covington. Expand to read more
Provided by Katie Nycz
The desire to open something in downtown Cincinnati was informed by Miller's past experience driving a Brew Bus, shuttling patrons between different breweries in the region.
"I'll have three venues in a 5-mile radius, but they'll be connected to the entire region," he said. "The goal is to connect those dots, build the audience, and beer is the thing that will fuel that."
Miller said he's still in the early stages of planning what to do with the building. The six-story, 17,000-square-foot building is listed for $1.05 million. He said it will probably cost $3 million to renovate the building to the point where he can open it. The ability to raise those funds will determine the timeline for opening.
Miller anticipates turning to crowdfunding to raise at least a potion of that. Bircus was one of the first breweries to raise money from the general public under crowdfunding rules created by the Jumpstarting Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act of 2012, which allowed private companies to offer equity in exchange for investment by the public, rather than high-net-worth accredited investors.
Bircus will operate in the first three or so floors of the building, and he's exploring the option of converting the top floors the residential. He anticipates using the space for circus-like performances – it lacks the high ceilings of the Ludlow Theater to allow for things like six people passing clubs or juggling swords – but it can accommodate solo performers. He also likes the idea of using the rooftop to host performances.
As for the beverage program, it will be supplied by Bircus' beers, but also potentially inspired by its birth state.
"My friends in Covington say there's no good bourbon bar on the other side of the river, it's all over here," Miller said.
