Courtesy Trailhead Brewing Co.
A St. Charles institution for 25 years, Trailhead Brewing Co. has been sold to Schlafly Beer and is to be rebranded as Schlafly Bankside. The acquisition will make the St. Charles brewery Schlafly’s third brewpub in the metro area. The brewery will operate as Trailhead Brewing throughout January; the official launch date for Schlafly Bankside has not been confirmed yet, but Schlafly is hopeful the transition can be completed within the next four to six weeks.
The sale was prompted by the retirement of Trailhead owner Bob Kirkwood. In a statement, Kirkwood said he was keen to find somebody to carry on Trailhead’s legacy and to serve the community.
“My partners and I felt that it was important to find a suitable buyer that would continue to brew quality beer, contribute the same positive experience to the customer, and value the current staff,” Kirkwood said. “With these requirements in mind, combined with Schlafly’s respected reputation within the brewing and hospitality industries in the St. Louis metro area, we found a perfect fit.”
Schalfly CEO Fran Caradonna tells SLM that she had been in discussions with Trailhead founder Bob Kirkwood since late fall. “Bob Kirkwood and I have known each other a long time, as has Tom Schlafly,” Caradonna says. “When he started thinking about the best way to craft a retirement, he called me and said, ‘I think you guys are the ones. It would make great sense for you and great sense for us.’ I didn't have to listen very long to agree with him.”
Caradonna took the proposal to the Schlafly team, who quickly agreed. After some details were ironed out, the deal was done. Caradonna says Schlafly hadn't been actively looking at opening a third venue; the company’s other priorities for 2020 included upgrading and refreshing facilities at Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood. Caradonna believed absorbing the Trailhead operation and team into the Schlafly family, however, would be a natural fit.
“There's a couple reasons that just fit so well for us," she says. "We already have all the systems in place. We have the support staff, accounting, human resources, restaurant management. It's an easy transition for all of us, just by the nature of what Schlafly has grown to be.”
Schlafly hopes to preserve Trailhead’s “character and charm,” in addition to maintaining continuity in terms of staffing. Schlafly is offering jobs to all current Trailhead employees, and those who continue will train at Schlafly Tap Room and Bottleworks ahead of the launch of Schlafly Bankside.
Still, Trailhead regulars can expect a few changes at the St. Charles outpost. Schlafly is investing in “improvements and renovations to the space,” which Caradonna says will include increasing the number of tap handles from six to 12 and, eventually, to 16, similar to other Schlafly locations. In terms of the beer, Caradonna says no decisions have been made on what styles will be offered, but “It’s definitely going to be a Schlafly brewpub.”
The food menu will also be fleshed out with the introduction of some Schlafly signatures. Caradonna said the Schalfly team is also excited to make use of Trailhead’s barbecue smoker and pizza ovens.
A retail component will also be introduced that will offer merchandise, growlers, brewpub-only special releases, and other items. The brewery will also host unique events for the community, as with other Schlafly locations.
The name Schlafly Bankside was chosen as a callout to the St. Charles brewery’s location along the banks of the Missouri River and to England, where Schlafly co-founders Tom Schlafly and Dan Kopman both studied (law and brewing, respectively). Bankside is a district of south London, named for its location alongside the River Thames.
In a statement, Tom Schlafly said, “We highly respect Bob Kirkwood’s operation and wish him a happy retirement. We are committed to continuing what his customers and this community have grown to expect from their neighborhood brewery with the added Schlafly experience that our guests love.”
“We are so appreciative of the warm welcome that we're getting on social media, and I personally have gotten numerous phone calls and texts from from people who love Trailhead and love Schlafly," Cardadonna says. "We’re all about community and neighborhood, and we're just thrilled to be on the street.”
