MILWAUKEE -- Good City Brewing is the first announced tenant in the entertainment district east of the new Wisconsin Sports and Entertainment facility.
According to our partners at the Milwaukee Business Journal, the Milwaukee brewery will open an 11,000-square-foot taproom on the corner of West Juneau Avenue.
"With Good City, what we're able to do is really bring in exactly what we wanted for this entire entertainment block and this entire district," Alex Lasry, Senior Vice President of the Bucks said. "That is something that is unique to Wisconsin and uniquely Wisconsin. We think with Good City we're getting exactly that."
"We picked them because of who they are," Bucks President, Peter Feigin said. "They're great business folks who created a great brand, who have a great sense of best of class operation and of course, they're local."
The local choice was a conscious one by the Bucks to help the area be successful on the days of the year the Bucks aren't playing or there isn't a concert in town. However, it's a sort of David and Goliath choice. Rather than Lakefront, New Glarus or Leinenkugel (to name a few), the team decided to go with a young upstart with lots of potential. But they didn't need to go to Greece to scoop this one up.
"We're loyal and we love local," Dan Katt, co-owner of Good City Brewing said. "I'm included in that. I grew up here. It says a lot about this whole project and what's going on in here that a local company would be chosen. We can be part of this. It is major leagues. It's big-time stuff. I think people will really respond to that."
The Bucks and Good City share an odd connection. The East Side brewery first opened its doors in June of 2016, the same month the Bucks broke ground on their new facility. So now, they'll be neighbors.
"This was not part of the plan, but certainly, we're glad to be involved and excited to open another brewery down here," Katt said.
The facility will include a 200-seat first-floor taproom that will serve 24 Good City taps and a wood-fired oven kitchen concept by brewery chef Guy Davies. The brewery will also have the ability to experiment with new brews.
"The first floor will have a pilot brewery," Katt said. "We can make smaller batches than we can now and experiment with different things. We'll also have a souring facility. Sour beers use wild yeast strains and if that's located near a facility, you risk contamination."
The second floor will consist of additional outdoor patio seating and an event space with capacity for 350.
Good City's current location is at 2108 N. Farwell Ave.
The entertainment district is scheduled to open in Spring 2019.
For more information on new Bucks' partnership, click here.
