Illinois residents will soon be able to claim Schlafly as their hometown brewpub.
Working in partnership with the city of Highland and TJO Holdings, Schlafly recently announced plans to open its first brewpub outside of Missouri. The fourth location for the independent craft brewer will be located at 907 Main Street in Highland, on the town square. The former Highland Chamber of Commerce building, a 3,400-square foot, 71-year-old structure, will be revitalized into an 80-seat restaurant, featuring a three-season patio capable of seating another 100 guests.
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“Contributing to the cities that we live and work in is an integral part of the Schlafly Beer mission,” says Schlafly CEO Fran Caradonna.
Schlafly’s history of revitalizing buildings began in 1991, with their first brewpub, Schlafly Tap Room, on Locust Street in St. Louis (and the first brewpub in Missouri to open after Prohibition). The building had been gutted by fire and was vacant for years. No one could have predicted 30 years ago that Schlafly Tap Room would wind up being ideally located next to the city’s forthcoming soccer stadium.
In 2003, the brewery opened the doors to Schlafly Bottleworks, which transformed an abandoned grocery store into a brewpub, which would spark a return of business to downtown Maplewood—now one St. Louis’ most popular dining and shopping destinations. And last year, Schlafly Bankside opened in St. Charles.
The Schlafly family also has historic ties to the city of Highland. “Our family’s American dream began in Highland,” Schlafly co-Founder Tom Schlafly says. “After immigrating from Switzerland, the Schlafly’s landed in NOLA and traveled to the town now known as Highland, Illinois. Now, 167 years later, David [Schlafly] and I are excited to give back to the same community where our ancestors set roots so many years ago.”
The new location’s menu is still being developed, but expect to see pub-style favorites that will perfectly match with the brewery’s signature beers. Schlafly will also offer specialty beer releases, created specifically for the Highland location. A retail shop offering swag and growlers will also be part of the new location, as well as tours of the upper-level brewing area.
The brewpub will soon be looking to hire local Highland employees for their new location, and will begin accepting applications for beer-loving staff this summer.
