One well: It's a phrase meaning we all drink from the same source, we are all part of the same community.
It's also the perfect name for Kalamazoo's newest brewery, a company very much built on the foundation set by the community of breweries that came before it.
"Michigan is one of the greatest states in the country for craft beer. It's been huge. We've seen what's been done," says TJ Waldofsky, co-owner of One Well Brewing. "We've seen other breweries pop up and we see what they're doing...we look to them, see them as inspiration."
Waldofsky and co-owner Chris O'Neill are also inspired by all the hard work and support thrown their way by fellow craft beer drinkers, friends, and relatives.
"The name is representative of how we built and did everything ourselves, and if we didn't know how to do something we found friends and family who did," Waldofsky says. "We don't want to disappoint anyone who helped us get to where we are now. It's been such a community effort."
Since its grand opening on Friday, Nov. 28 Waldofsky and O'Neill hope to take a stable of five beers and build on a legacy of history and community spirit while also literally brewing on the foundation set by a past member of the local industry--Sunset Boulevard Brewing Co.
Now defunct, Sunset Boulvard operated from January to July of 2012 out of the space at 4213 Portage Street currently occupied by One Well.
"It was perfect from the brewing side of things, the hoods, the floor drain, tile floor, the foundation was all in place. That was super helpful," Waldofsky says.
Of course, Sunset Boulevard patrons will barely recognize the interior of the new brewery as the front of house has completely changed, going from the California influenced lounge-like setting of its previous tenant to a DIY esthetic of reclaimed wood, and antique furnishings built and brought in by One Well.
"We think we have a lot of things here that will bring people in to just relax and hang out," Waldofsky says. "We have real dart boards, a pool table, a huge collection of board games, the mug club so people can feel like their drinking at home, a piano; if you want to come down and play and entertain people … Oh yeah, and we have arcade games too."
Waldofsky, whose background is in business management and events coordination, and O'Neill, who handles the brewing side of things, pride themselves on teamwork and communication and hope their ability to cooperate and bring different expertise to the table reflects in the atmosphere at the brewery.
"We'll have a projection screen for watching some of the games, but we don't want to be a sports bar," Waldofsky says. "We want people to come down and be able to strike up a conversation with the person next to them."
That conversation, to start with at least, will probably be over a pint of one of five staple beers: an IPA, a hoppy wheat, an American style blonde, a brown and a jalapeno infused blonde. All of which will be brewed on site in the company's three barrel system.
A soft opening on Saturday, Nov. 22 was a success and Waldofsky expects the 99 seat brew house to be pretty lively during the first couple weeks of business.
"We want to be the community micro brewery but we're also right off the highway, so that should bring in business as well. Our primary business will come from the Milwood neighborhood, but we also hope to get on the brewery tours that are popping up," Waldfosky says.
Jeremy Martin is the craft brew writer for Southwest Michigan's Second Wave.
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