After months of highly-publicized searching and negotiations, Stone Brewing Co. has announced the site of their east coast operation.
Slated to open in late 2015 or early 2016, Stone’s massive $74 million facility will bring the west coast taste to Richmond, VA. Last week Stone signed an official letter of intent with Richmond which, once approved by the city, will see construction begin on their brewhouse, packaging plant, restaurant, retail store, and administrative offices.
According to Stone President and co-founder, Steve Wagner, “We received hundreds of proposals, visited more than 40 sites, and received quite a bit of attention from communities and craft beer fans.” Richmond, he continues to explain, seemed to be the city that can meet all of their extensive site requirements for the 200,000 square-foot project.
The building will include a 250-barrel brewhouse that will produce special releases as well as year-round offerings, and serve as a distribution point for the entire east coast. Much like its San Diego counterpart, the VA location will feature a destination restaurant that will use locally-grown organic food. A 30,000 square-foot building is set to be renovated to create the four-acre restaurant that will feature gardens for guests to observe while enjoying their beer. The Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens will be set to open a year or two after the brewery.
Wagner went on to say that they “feel that Richmond’s vibrant energy and impressive craft beer culture, along with the uniqueness of the property, will allow us to create a truly memorable Stone experience for our fans.”
Stone CEO and co-founder Greg Koch commented, “We look forward to becoming an integral part of the lively craft beer community in Richmond, the state of Virginia, and the entire eastern U.S.”
