By K.D. Norris
The brewing of beer at High Five Co‐op Brewery, which hopes to become the City of Kentwood’s first member owned and managed brewery, took a huge step forward in August when it signed a lease for a location just west of East Paris in the center of the “Shoppes at 52nd Street”.
The opening of the brewery, with its storefront location at 3846 52nd St. SE in the city, is expected for sometime in 2019.
“We still have to meet with the City of Kentwood for planning and approvals (scheduled for September),” Laura Barbrick, president High Five Co‐op Brewery, said recently to WKTV. “Once we get that, we will file for state and federal licenses. We’ve been told it can be a minimum of a 7 month process. We don’t plan to begin the buildout until some of these things are more of a sure thing. So we won’t be doing a ribbon cutting until hopefully sometime next year. In the meantime there will be lots of planning and paperwork.”
High Five announced the lease for their future brewery in August.
“Our members have been patiently waiting for this moment,” Barbrick said at the time in supplied information. “Our board of directors have been searching the real estate market in West Michigan for nearly two years. We believe this location offers a lot of great potential and is in a rapidly growing area. We are excited to bring our new cooperatively‐owned brewpub to Kentwood.”
According to Barbrick, the cooperative has more than 150 members and expects renewed interest in memberships now that a location has been secured. High Five member‐owners “share a passion for craft beer and a vision to introduce the cooperative brewing model to West Michigan,” she said.
The cooperative brewery is built on seven operating principles that include a focus on the community, cooperation with other cooperatives, education of its members, and democratic governance which allows all of its members to vote on the direction of the brewery, according to supplied information.
Cooperative member‐owners purchase a lifetime membership for a one‐time $150 fee.
While High Five pursues its local, state, and federal approvals, it will also focus on growing its membership and raising additional capital for the new brewpub, according to Barbrick.
Inspired by Black Star Co‐op Pub and Brewery in Austin, Texas. Black Star, the first co‐op brewpub in the United States, opened its doors in 2010, and since that time, more cooperatives have opened and several are in various stages of planning. High Five was born in 2011 when founder Dallas McCulloch took part in a 5×5 business competition and was awarded $5,000 in startup capital, according to supplied information.
According to the National Cooperative Business Association, more than 100 million people are members of cooperative businesses in the United States, ranging from agricultural co‐ops and credit unions to food, housing and worker co‐ops.
For more information visit beer.coop or visit their Facebook page.
Downtown Market hosts ‘Cooking with Craft Beer’ class
The Grand Rapids Downtown Market will host a “Cooking with Craft Beer” class on Friday, Sept. 21, from 6-8:30 p.m.
“We’re lucky to live in the city with the best craft brews, so don’t just drink the good stuff — learn to cook with it too!” information on the class states. “This beer-inspired menu will include a refreshing seasonal salad with a pale ale vinaigrette, delicious brown ale-braised chicken, and rich chocolate stout cupcakes. Yes, beer in dessert!”
They had me at “beer”.
The cost for the age 21-and-older class is $90 per person. As you cook, beers selected to complement the meal will be available for purchase.
The Downtown Market is located at 435 Ionia Ave. SW. For more information on the class email classes@downtownmarketgr.com or call 616-805-5308.
