Dwindling sales led them to close in 2019
Gland that they're expanding. A location in Alton would be great.jshank83 wrote: ↑May 05, 2021Schlafly opening a location in highland IL
Closed up because their beer wasn't that good and a lager was their only choice.
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Might be in the minority here, but I'm a little worried about over-expansion by Schlafly. Gives far less reasons to travel to the Taproom or Bottle Works. Plus, and I again might be in the minority here, but the pulse I feel on the craft beer scene is that Schlafly is kind of old school/uninventive. I guess it's fine when considering folks who do a craft beer tour or something, but it's not exactly close to many other competitors out there. I think the St. Charles expansion especially was not a great business decision for their other satellites. Then again, I'm not a business owner in F&B.
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I have no idea, but I will say just anecdotally, my friends who live in Chesterfield like visiting the St. Chuck location, and they would not otherwise be visiting the other two locations.bwcrow1s wrote: ↑May 07, 2021Might be in the minority here, but I'm a little worried about over-expansion by Schlafly. Gives far less reasons to travel to the Taproom or Bottle Works. Plus, and I again might be in the minority here, but the pulse I feel on the craft beer scene is that Schlafly is kind of old school/uninventive. I guess it's fine when considering folks who do a craft beer tour or something, but it's not exactly close to many other competitors out there. I think the St. Charles expansion especially was not a great business decision for their other satellites. Then again, I'm not a business owner in F&B.
I thought Schlafly was at capacity for their local breweries and had been farming out production to out-of-town sub contracting facilities for a couple of years. So the St. Charles and Illinois additions allow them to bring most or all production back to the St. Louis area.bwcrow1s wrote: ↑May 07, 2021Might be in the minority here, but I'm a little worried about over-expansion by Schlafly. Gives far less reasons to travel to the Taproom or Bottle Works. Plus, and I again might be in the minority here, but the pulse I feel on the craft beer scene is that Schlafly is kind of old school/uninventive. I guess it's fine when considering folks who do a craft beer tour or something, but it's not exactly close to many other competitors out there. I think the St. Charles expansion especially was not a great business decision for their other satellites. Then again, I'm not a business owner in F&B.
Same thing. I have friends who live outside the 270 loop and love the St. Charles addition because they were uneasy with coming to Maplewood or downtown.debaliviere wrote: ↑May 07, 2021I have no idea, but I will say just anecdotally, my friends who live in Chesterfield like visiting the St. Chuck location, and they would not otherwise be visiting the other two locations.bwcrow1s wrote: ↑May 07, 2021Might be in the minority here, but I'm a little worried about over-expansion by Schlafly. Gives far less reasons to travel to the Taproom or Bottle Works. Plus, and I again might be in the minority here, but the pulse I feel on the craft beer scene is that Schlafly is kind of old school/uninventive. I guess it's fine when considering folks who do a craft beer tour or something, but it's not exactly close to many other competitors out there. I think the St. Charles expansion especially was not a great business decision for their other satellites. Then again, I'm not a business owner in F&B.
*sigh* Yes. :rolleyes:urban_dilettante wrote: ↑May 07, 2021^ uneasy about Maplewood? really?
I've known folks like that. Grew up in far West County or in St. Charles, and all they've heard their entire lives is a negative feedback loop that the city is a crime-ridden hellhole and all of the inner-ring suburbs have been corrupted by the city and you go east of I-270 at your own risk. It's certainly not all people who live in the suburbs/exburbs but there is definitely a subset for which this is a very real thing.urban_dilettante wrote: ↑May 07, 2021^ uneasy about Maplewood? really?
A former worker of mine was evidently an otherwise reasonable, intelligent person but was quite literally terrified to drive into the city for any reason. She did go in for Cardinals games with the family but refused to drive herself for any reason and thought it was risking her family to go.
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^ Yeah this is a common refrain in the exburbs about the inner-ring. If I had a dollar for every time one of the old geezers I work with in West County said the Blue Line was responsible for destroying Maplewood, Brentwood, RH, etc. I could complete the Cross County Line.
It’s also just a “long” drive to drive to maplewood from out in the burbs when there are other good options closer. I live in U city and even for me thinking about driving into the city when I have the loop and other places closer seems like a pain.
Obviously it’s not THAT far to go to maplewood or downtown for me (I work downtown so I do it every day) but it’s just easier to go closer and I am a lot closer than all of the outer county people.
On the weekends I am more likely but during the week it probably isn’t happening often.
Just like people in the city aren’t going out to st chuck county often the people out there aren’t coming into the city often either.
So that was a long way of saying I think them adding and spacing out is good to bring in new people. I feel like the highland spot would have been better in edwardsville/Belleville/Fairview heights but I’m sure they know what they are doing.
Obviously it’s not THAT far to go to maplewood or downtown for me (I work downtown so I do it every day) but it’s just easier to go closer and I am a lot closer than all of the outer county people.
On the weekends I am more likely but during the week it probably isn’t happening often.
Just like people in the city aren’t going out to st chuck county often the people out there aren’t coming into the city often either.
So that was a long way of saying I think them adding and spacing out is good to bring in new people. I feel like the highland spot would have been better in edwardsville/Belleville/Fairview heights but I’m sure they know what they are doing.
All I have to say is that putting breweries in locations that necessitate driving are a perfect mix. The brewing capacity issue makes sense of course, but I'd argue there are numerous sites immediately adjacent to the Taproom.
All of this said, by expanding you lose exclusivity through duplicity. Why have a brewery tour on bikes or bus through Downtown and the south side with friends when I can buzzed-drive my ass all over St. Charles?
Anyways, all the best for them.
All of this said, by expanding you lose exclusivity through duplicity. Why have a brewery tour on bikes or bus through Downtown and the south side with friends when I can buzzed-drive my ass all over St. Charles?
Anyways, all the best for them.
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^Where are they going in St. Charles?
Don't get me wrong. I'm happy to rag on St. Charles county as much as the next guy, but not everything out there is identical wilderness. The historic downtown itself has a pleasant frontier walkability to it. (Fairly bricky too. It honestly reminds me quite a lot of a great many much more western places.)
Don't get me wrong. I'm happy to rag on St. Charles county as much as the next guy, but not everything out there is identical wilderness. The historic downtown itself has a pleasant frontier walkability to it. (Fairly bricky too. It honestly reminds me quite a lot of a great many much more western places.)
Former Trailhead space.
And I totally agree with you. When I get to spend time on Main Street it's enjoyable. The general immediate surrounding area is charming. You won't catch me out there grabbing a couple pints though as I'm a 30+ minute drive home. Maybe that's the whole point and I should leave now hah.
And I totally agree with you. When I get to spend time on Main Street it's enjoyable. The general immediate surrounding area is charming. You won't catch me out there grabbing a couple pints though as I'm a 30+ minute drive home. Maybe that's the whole point and I should leave now hah.
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Maybe this is in the works as well, but I am pretty shocked they are doing anything other than trying to build the biggest outdoor/indoor soccer bar possible at the tap room. Literal stones throw away. Wish them luck on the additional locations. The brewing capacity certainly makes sense.
Wasn't Schlafly trying trying to consolidate brewing production in a new all in one location once upon a time even contemplating it for north riverfront on some expanded footprint/garden setting? before the change of leadership. The plan sounded almost too big but then again you wonder if even a modest size consolidated brew only location say in part of the Lemp Facility or even new facility along the riverfront would make sense to compliment their growing number of locations.
Highland, IL was the St. Louis-area beachhead for the progenitors of the whole Schlafly clan, including Phyllis...jshank83 wrote: ↑May 07, 2021So that was a long way of saying I think them adding and spacing out is good to bring in new people. I feel like the highland spot would have been better in edwardsville/Belleville/Fairview heights but I’m sure they know what they are doing.
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Be really neat to see Schlafly help rejuvenate the Lemp campus and make it an active brewery again.dredger wrote: ↑May 13, 2021Wasn't Schlafly trying trying to consolidate brewing production in a new all in one location once upon a time even contemplating it for north riverfront on some expanded footprint/garden setting? before the change of leadership. The plan sounded almost too big but then again you wonder if even a modest size consolidated brew only location say in part of the Lemp Facility or even new facility along the riverfront would make sense to compliment their growing number of locations.
O'Fallon based Good News Brewing is in the process of opening The Frenchtown Brewery in St Charles.
Share the GOOD NEWS! We are in the process of opening The Frenchtown Brewery in St Charles!
We're so thrilled to be a part of the revitalization of this historic part of St Charles, and will be "moving in" with the existing Frenchtown Museum at the Hose, Hook, and Ladder Company Building. The preservation of history is paramount in this project, and we're excited to bring new purpose for visitation to this location. Get ready for some local history when you visit this Good News location, it's sure to be a unique stop for any craft beer, history loving patron!
We have several approvals and a few hurdles a head of us that will start next week, and we hope to open this fall. There are plans to build a custom wood-fired pizza oven, spruce up the patio, and brew some Frenchtown beers in the caboose. Yes, there is a caboose in the back!!
Lemp is huge. They could reactivate some part of it (and I'd be willing to work with them on it into some plans) but it's so vast for Schlafly. I do want a partner to work with, may be Griesedieck, to revive the Lemp Beer name. That's a few years off, but I have some tricks up my sleeve to hopefully get it going.Trololzilla wrote: ↑May 13, 2021Be really neat to see Schlafly help rejuvenate the Lemp campus and make it an active brewery again.dredger wrote: ↑May 13, 2021Wasn't Schlafly trying trying to consolidate brewing production in a new all in one location once upon a time even contemplating it for north riverfront on some expanded footprint/garden setting? before the change of leadership. The plan sounded almost too big but then again you wonder if even a modest size consolidated brew only location say in part of the Lemp Facility or even new facility along the riverfront would make sense to compliment their growing number of locations.
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Yeah, definitely a couple breweries worth of space over there. Be cool to have the cross-interstate 'rivalry' between the two big brewery complexes again though, especially if the OG brew comes back in some way.