MCKINNEY, Texas — Read this story and more North Texas business news from our partners at the Dallas Business Journal
After a delay of more than a year, Tupps Brewery is finally preparing to open the doors of its new, spacious location in East McKinney's historic mill district. The eight-figure investment is expected to boost business for the craft beer maker while also fitting into the city’s efforts to revitalize its once-thriving east corridor.
The brewery was initially slated to open in late 2022 but that was pushed back because of supply chain constraints and other construction hold-ups. Now, the space is slated to fully open in March, with a grand opening set for the weekend of March 9.
The acclaimed brewery, known for its innovative creations, started in 2015 as a small garage project in McKinney producing just three beers. Over the last nine years, the brewery has ballooned into a sizable business, with distribution spanning across much of Texas and into Oklahoma, Alabama and Florida. Tupps just won a bronze and silver medal at the Texas Craft Brewers Cup on Feb. 17.
The new location at 402 East Louisiana St. offers the chance to produce more beer in a bigger space, said Keith Lewis, co-founder and president. The old brewery was at 721 Anderson Parkway.
"We outgrew the spot from a production standpoint," Lewis said. "We couldn't brew any more beer than we were."
The new campus spans 60,000 square feet in what was once an old grain mill and includes a four-story, 25,000-square-foot production facility, an outdoor beer garden and a restaurant. A parking lot with room for up to 210 cars is also included on the six-acre site.
Last year, Tupps produced around 11,000 barrels of beer. The new facility pushes the brewer’s capacity to upward of 50,000 barrels, pending the addition of more tanks.
"The intent of this move was this is our forever home. We don’t want to do this again — we’ll be able to grow into it," Lewis said, noting the building is designed to make room for more equipment if needed.
Additionally, the old brewery was often overcrowded especially during special events. This new space can now accommodate up to 2,600 people. It also has heat and air conditioning, which were not available at the old brewery.
"It was brutal on our guests and employees," Lewis said of the old place. "This was just a wonderful thing to get out into a new environment."
He intends to hire at least 50 more people, mostly to handle serving beer to patrons and delivering food to customers at its new restaurant. The new eatery’s menu is focused on elevated bar staples, including nachos, burgers, tacos and shareable appetizers.
Furthermore, the new brewery is just a mile from its old home near the Historic Cotton Mill, which is another site that will undergo revitalization in the coming years. In addition to the city's business-friendly environment, an $11.3 million agreement from the McKinney Community Development Corp. incentivized Lewis to keep his brewery in the community in northern Collin County.
"We fell in love with the [property] we selected," Lewis said. "So the location is wonderful. The city of McKinney is fantastic as far as a place to do business, so it felt good. It felt like the right fit."
In total, it was a $18 million investment to transform the old grain site into a modern-day brewery. Despite receiving offers from other cities in Collin County, Lewis added he is happy to keep his business in McKinney, especially with the city’s financial backing.
Preserving 'cool factor'
Lewis worked with developers to preserve parts of the old grain facility built in the 1920s. He said he wanted to maintain eight original silos as decor for the space and maintain the rustic feel. The exterior of the building features an industrial, grey warehouse façade in an effort to preserve the old grain mill's character.
The Tupps move comes as the city of McKinney continues to expand its downtown footprint and bring new energy to its east side, which is currently home to old vintage shops, antique stores, local wineries and small boutiques.
"We wanted to rehab [the site] and save the cool factor that was in the building," Lewis said. "Typically, old factories like that get bulldozed and apartment complexes get brought up, and we were like, 'no, this is too cool.'"
Many activities are available for people, including young adults and their families, at the new brewery, including a bocce ball court, cornhole and an outdoor concert stage. There is also an outdoor play area for kids.
"There's so many different places where people can go with on the site, do different things, whether you want to be outside or inside, you want to listen to music, you don't want to listen to music ... or you just want to sit in front of a fireplace and smoke a cigar," Lewis said. "It's got a lot for everybody."
