A local taproom near the bustling Cherry and Pickwick intersection is gearing up for an expansion. Tie & Timber Beer Company will be adding another building to its Cherry Street operations.
The Tie & Timber property includes the building at 1459 E. Cherry St. that so far had been used as office and storage space. Now, the current structure will be demolished to make way for a multistory space with a full kitchen and an expansive patio overlooking the beer garden.
What does the expansion entail?
Co-founder Curt Marshall told the News-Leader via email the new project will more than triple the brewery's indoor seating.
"Currently, we're heavily dependent on the outdoor beer garden, especially in the summer, but our capacity dips the moment the weather turns," he said. "This new facility means we'll be able to welcome guests year-round, rain or shine, without depending on Missouri's unpredictable weather."
The goal is for the new building to complement the existing business locals know and love while providing a new avenue for guests to engage with the brewery. Having guests walk by a run-down building felt like a missed opportunity and at odds with what the gathering hub grew to be, he said.
"The existing brewery will keep its energetic, industrial character, with locally curated art adding warmth, while the new building is designed to be a work of art in itself and we'll be working with local craftsmen and artists to help achieve that," Marshall said via email.
What food will Tie & Timber serve?
Marshall is not giving out the menu yet, but he said it will be focused on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and scratch-made recipes.
He said throughout the years, customers have asked whether the brewery serves food, and this new expansion will allow staff to finally answer "Yes!"
What will happen with Tie & Timber parking?
The expansion project does not include additional parking. As construction gets underway, Tie & Timber visitors can expect slimmer pickings when it comes to existing parking, but by the end of the project all current parking spots will be retained.
Marshall said the project is expected to take roughly a year to complete.
"On-site parking in Rountree is a rare luxury, and honestly, it's part of what makes this neighborhood so inviting for walkers and bikers," he said. "We like to think we're worth the walk!"
How does this fit with the Rountree neighborhood?
In order to proceed with plans, Tie & Timber had to go through a formal process of amending the Rountree Urban Conservation District to allow the building to have a higher finished floor elevation closer to the sidewalk. Upon this amendment the Rountree Neighborhood Association had no objections.
Marshall told the News-Leader that throughout the planning process, neighborhood leaders have been involved with mutual goals of promoting "sustainable, mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly development."