On Saturday, Crooked Handle Brewing Company announced plans to open a second brewpub in downtown Piqua. The project will transform an existing 10,000 square foot building to include a brewery, warehouse style beer hall, a full kitchen, an event space, and an outdoor biergarten overlooking Piqua’s emerging Lock Nine Park.
The adaptive reuse project was announced at the “Down A River – Down A Beer” event which is held annually along the Great Miami Riverway in Piqua. City of Piqua Community and Economic Development Director Chris Schmiesing made the announcement commenting, “Crooked Handle Brewing Company is a first-class operation that offers quality food, drinks and entertainment in a relaxing atmosphere, and we are extremely excited to welcome them to our community.”
Crooked Handle Brewing Company will be purchasing the property located at 123 N. Main Street from Piqua Granite and Marble Company. The brick structure dates back to the early 1900’s, and was previously occupied by motorcycle and car dealerships and numerous other uses. The new plans for the building call for the removal of various partitions and equipment to highlight the historic character of the building. The new configuration of the building will include two primary spaces, one for dining and the other for special events. The Warehouse Beer Hall will be located in the more industrial former garage space and will be the primary drinking and dining area and feature views of the brewery operations and provide access to the extensive patio areas overlooking the Lock Nine Park. The former display area, dubbed the Showroom, features large windows along the Main Street frontage and will function as a flexible space that can accommodate a variety of special event types. A full-service kitchen will be centrally located between the two public spaces with an order and pickup window easily accessible to both sides. The exterior of the building will feature attractive signage, a new entry inviting guests into the brewpub and a biergarten covered by a trellis fabricated from a dismantled gantry crane formerly used by the monument business.
Crooked Handle Brewing Company opened its first location in December of 2015 in Springboro Ohio, where they produce award winning craft beers, and offer a premium selection of wines, ciders, spirits, signature cocktails, and live music. In 2020 CHBC added a full kitchen that is now serving a menu of made from scratch pub fare. The Piqua location will provide similar and expanded offerings along with the Showroom being available to rent for special events.
Crooked Handle Brewing Company is owned by Jason and Kristy Moore, and Jeff and Emily Pedro. When asked what attracted them to Piqua they commented, “The timing was right. We really like the vision for the redevelopment of the downtown riverfront, and the location is ideal for what we offer. We see a real opportunity in Piqua and are excited to be a part of what is happening in the community.”
The design team for the project includes Gamble Associates, PorterFanna Architecture, Booker Design Collaborative, Omloop and Choice One Engineering. Urban Improvement Company (UIC) is the development consultant and Denligner Construction will serve as the general contractor for the project. The renovation work is expected to begin fall 2021 and be complete by late summer 2022.
This article originally appeared on the City of Piqua website.
