Ferndale Project holding grand opening of remodeled taproom after 2 years of pandemic operations
(Photo: Ferndale Project)
FERNDALE, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Ferndale Project is set to unveil its remodeled taproom this weekend.
The taproom, a sister brewery of Eastern Market Brewing Co., opened in February 2020 in the old Axle Brewing Co. space just before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
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Since the start, the Ferndale Project has had to shift operations and learn how to navigate a time when inside dining was prohibited. This included launching a beer delivery service and a vegan donut brand, as well as hosting pop-up grocery stores.
"All Ferndale Project has known is the pandemic. We opened as an ‘experimental brewery’, but little did we know how much that phrase would be tested. Experimentation was forced into our DNA. We learned a lot about ourselves over the past two years and this weekend is a culmination of all that self-discovery," said Dayne Bartscht, managing partner of Eastern Market Brewing Co. "There is one constant though, and that’s the Ferndale community. No matter what was thrown at us, it has always felt like our community was unwilling to let us fail. We’ll always be grateful."
The Ferndale Project features both beer and coffee, with space for both in the updated taproom.
The remodeled taproom includes an ASHE Coffee cafe with an espresso bar, as well as a walk-up coffee window. There's also an extended patio.
"I keep telling the team, this is a Grand Opening and not a Grand Re-Opening. In many ways, Saturday is a fresh start for us, and our employees. It also feels like it’s signaling an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last two years, we were put to the test and this Saturday is as much a celebration of our opening, as it is of our survival," Bartscht said.
The grand opening celebration is Saturday from 8 a.m. until midnight. Peanut Butter Volcano Stout, a limited barrel-aged brew, will be tapped at noon, and ASHE coffee will be available until 3 p.m.
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