From renters to owners, Palmetto Brewing found a way to stay in the same place for 23 years.
The veteran South Carolina brewery is in expansion mode now after securing the rights to its original brewery 23 years after opening as renters.
“There’s no better story than one that involves the place of your origin. We love the walls we live in, cracks and all,” said Palmetto CEO John Planty.
Palmetto was set to have to move after this year, purchasing property eight miles north of the current location. The reasoning for the move to the 5.83-acre site was because Palmetto had been renting since it opened. A development firm informed the brewery in 2015 that it and its neighbors, Charleston Coffee Roasters and Brooks Signs would have to leave to make room for a apartment complex that was to be built.
In February of this year, the firm notified Palmetto of their intent to list the brewery’s location for sale instead, and Palmetto jumped at the opportunity to stay in its original location. Of course, now the brewery has two properties and plans are still in the air. With the other renters either on their way out or already gone, Palmetto can expand on site instead of moving, which poses some new challenges of tearing up the original moving plans and now focusing on growth.
“The decision and process to continue to grow within our original walls was definitely time bound and thought challenging,” Planty said of his brewery, which produced 10,000 barrels in 2016. “Fortunately, Palmetto continues to evolve and grow. The ability to double our space will allow us to continue to expand and experiment.”
Plans include a sour program and some equipment changes in store with the extra room. Other plans for the expanded Palmetto facility include additional storage and production space.
“When it came down to it, all signs pointed to staking our claim in the place Palmetto has called home since 1993,” said owner Larry Lipov in a release. “There’s a lot of history and great memories for us in this space, so we took the leap. We still own the space in North Charleston, but for now it’s all about making our Huger Street home the best it can be, so we can keep making great beer that people enjoy. It feels great to own where you came from.
Be the first to comment