Popular Tower Grove South pub Civil Life Brewing Company (3714 Holt) will undergo major renovations starting in April 2018, increasing the brewing capacity, adding more bar space, and even introducing rentable rooms.
Jake Hafner, self-proclaimed “Captain of the Barley Ship” and owner of the brewery, says the renovation will expand the facility from 6,800 square feet to 10,500. He’s most excited about the new tower in the front of the building, where he hopes to install a St. Louis–made bell.
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“If this all goes well, we’ll have a bell to ring when we open every day,” he says. “We’ll also have the streetscape, and just the entire building is going to look completely different. I think it’s something that the residents of Tower Grove South, who have been supportive of us, are really going to love and appreciate.”
Right now, they’re planning to expand the kitchens from 80 to 600 square feet, to build four rooms that patrons will be able to reserve, and to add a 200-square-foot retail store at the building’s front. Civil Life will also add a canning line that will let them sell their beer to a wider Missouri market.
“Currently, we use a mobile canner, because we want to keep our prices as affordable as possible,” Hafner says. They only have the capacity to can a few of their beers, which limits their ability to sell outside of St. Louis. “We haven’t been able to find a way to use a mobile canner and also be able to sell competitively in the market, so we’ll be able to do that once this expansion is done.”
Although the construction plan is still in the works, Hafner has envisioned two options: One plan is to build the tower in the front, then build the existing bar out to 1400 square feet space with another 800-square-foot bar on top. The other plan is to build out the entire canning facility to 4,800-square-feet, in the back of the brewery, then dig out new bars in the basement and establish a beer garden up above. He hopes to have plans in place by December, he said at his annual State of the Beer Union address.
Both plans involve a parking lot for 30 cars, as well as new sidewalks, curbs, and streetlights along the property. In the existing upstairs space, they’re also replacing pub tables with smaller surfaces for groups of two and four. While that room currently has a railing with open air, Hafner plans to build a half-wall with windows that open, creating another reservable space.
“There’s a lot of great local beers out there,” Hafner says. “We’re trying to do an expansion that’s right for the more competitive environment.” Especially, he adds, when it comes to canned beer.
Civil Life will remain open throughout the renovations, even though Hafner will be redesigning some of the current space.
“We have designed a facility that will ensure we remain competitive in a rapidly changing market,” Hafner says. And he hopes the renovations will serve the community, as well. “Drinking local beers creates local jobs.”
