Dexter's Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales is adding a full service restaurant to its main brewing facility, the ultimate complement to its already popular taproom.
The addition of the restaurant is part of an effort to turn the 50,000-square-foot facility into a destination for beer lovers. Patrons will be able to experience the full restaurant experience of Jolly Pumpkin’s brewpubs in Ann Arbor and Traverse City and the award-winning beer, wine and liquor served at them.
"It will be like our other Jolly Pumpkin restaurants where all of the alcohol will be provided by Jolly Pumpkin companies," says Ron Jeffries, founder, president & brewmaster of
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales.
The taproom will remain with the restaurant adjacent to it. Together the two, along with Jolly Pumpkin’s offices, will take up 20,000 square feet of the facility. Jolly Pumpkin is also working to work in tours and limited public access to the brewery.
"That is at least a year or two out," Jeffries says.
Jolly Pumpkin is one of the fastest-growing breweries in Michigan. Production at its recently expanded brewery in Dexter hit 7,000 barrels last year. This year production is on track to be up by at least 30 percent, exceeding the 10,000 barrel mark.
"We hope that growth continues through the rest of the year," Jeffries says.
Jolly Pumpkin employs in excess of 300 people at its breweries and restaurants, including 45 in Dexter. That number is expected to go up later this year or early next year when the new restaurant is expected to open. Jolly Pumpkin is currently working with the city of Dexter on plans, and hopes to start construction late this summer or early this fall. Jeffries hopes to open the restaurant by the end of the year or early 2017.
Source: Ron Jeffries, founder, president & brewmaster of Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Writer: Jon Zemke
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