As published in Toledo Business Journal - October 1, 2020

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Brewing equipment being installed at Juniper Brewing Company earlier this summer

New $1.2M brewery and restaurant to open in BG

A new coffee shop, brewery, and restaurant is set to open in downtown Bowling Green – Juniper Brewing Company. The $1.2 million development will reside in the space formerly occupied by Panera Bread, but also encompasses the space that was directly behind it.

According to Zach and Chrissy Tracy, who own Juniper, the focus of the brewery is community, and the couple is passionate about creating a family-friendly space that is inclusive of everyone – community members and Bowling Green State University (BGSU) faculty, staff, and students alike.

The Tracys, who both went to BGSU, first started discussing the idea of Juniper Brewing Company almost 15 years ago.

“Although the concept has evolved over that time, the idea was born out of our entrepreneurial spirit, our love and desire to come home and be a part of the Bowling Green community, and of course, great coffee, food, and beer. People frequently ask us this question and my wife and I always look at each other and smile because, as we like to describe it – it’s what we do. Some people choose to watch TV or movies, others go out every chance they can, and there is nothing wrong with either of those choices. We, however, chose to plan, discuss, and dream about one day owning our own business – our own brewery,” said Zach.

According to Zach, the Tracy’s time spent living in Cleveland allowed them to experience and enjoy the growth of the brewing industry.

“From Great Lakes Brewing, Fathead’s, Noble Beast, Market Garden, Boss Dog, and numerous others, Cleveland has truly emerged as a beer destination city. Having spent time working in several of these breweries, it became evident early on that they all supported, encouraged, and even helped each other. The prevailing mentality was to create a beer culture together, and by doing so, create an energy that would bring people in to experience it,” said Zach. “In Bowling Green, and northwest Ohio in general, we hope to be part of something similar. With BG Beer Works laying the groundwork, and both Aistear and Arlyn’s Good Beer recently coming online, we feel as though something special is brewing in BG and we’re stoked to be a part of it.”

The building that will house Juniper needed renovations, and the general contractor for the project is Nyman Construction Co., and the architect is Sixmo Inc., both from the Cleveland area.

“We have blown out the wall that divided the two buildings in order to create one large space. It is truly impressive walking in and seeing the exposed brew house looming in the back part of the brewery. It becomes harder and harder to remember what it looked like when Panera was there,” explained Zach.

The renovation involved a complete transformation of both the former spaces. Floors were taken down to the original hardwood, drop ceilings were replaced in most areas, walls were taken down to studs in some areas, and a full kitchen and large walk-in cooler (which contains its serving tanks) were installed. The biggest undertaking, according to Zach, was removing an approximately 18-foot by 35-foot section of flooring in the back, back filling with stone, and then pouring a 6-inch slab of concrete to support the brewing equipment.

“The renovation has been a massive undertaking full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and a pandemic to boot. We have learned so much along the way about the construction process, managing people, and about ourselves. It has been overwhelming at times and significant sacrifices have been made by our entire family, but we remain present in the moment and genuinely grateful for the opportunity to build and live our dream,” said Zach.

The buildout began almost a year ago and the Tracys are hopeful for a mid-October opening, whichwill be a staggered approach, with the coffee side opening first, followed by the brewery.

“Juniper is not solely a brewery, but a coffee shop and restaurant as well. My wife has worked very hard and put countless hours of thought into the layout and flow of the space. This has translated into very natural, organic boundaries to each of the designated areas. These areas include the main bar and dining room, the ‘Market Side,’ which includes the coffee bar, and high-top tables and workstations, and the private event / overflow / classroom / brewery area. Juniper will be open seven days a week, however, the kitchen will be closed on Mondays,” said Zach.

On the coffee side, Juniper has partnered with Rising Star Coffee Roasters out of Cleveland to be the “house” coffee. In addition, Juniper plans on having a “guest” roaster, like “guest” taps at a brewery.

“What this means is that we will always have Rising Star at Juniper for those who are creatures of habit, but we will also have rotating roasters for those who like to try something new. We had a coffee business when we lived in Cleveland, 46&2 Coffee, that fused traditional beer ingredients into cold-brewed coffee and served it on nitro,” said Zach. “There will also be four taps at the coffee bar that will serve cold-brewed coffees, both regular and nitro, as well as cold-brewed chocolate milk served from a nitro tap.”

On the food side, according to Zach, the menu will focus on fresh, local ingredients and will change seasonally.

“We could not be more excited to have our chef, Joel Perez, on board. He is amazing, not afraid to try new things, and we cannot wait for everybody to try his food,” said Zach.

As for the beer, Juniper will operate a three-vessel, 10-barrel brew system with four 10-barrel fermenters (10 barrels is equivalent to 310 gallons).

“We can have 12 beers on tap at the main bar, and six on tap at the private event bar. At full production, we will have nine to 10 of our own beers and two to three ‘guest’ taps,” said Zach.

Morning food options at Juniper will be a grab-and-go model regardless of any restrictions due to COVID-19, noted Zach. Options will include items such as breakfast sandwiches, overnight oats, fresh fruits and baked goods, and a modern twist on chocolate milk. During COVID-19, lunch service will also be grab-and-go from the coffee bar and will include café style sandwiches, salads, and fresh fruit. Non-COVID-19 lunch service will offer both grab-and-go and kitchen service. The dinner menu at Juniper will feature seasonal American comfort food with a modern twist.

“We hope for the brewery to evoke a familial sense that resonates with our customers. As we keep saying, our goal is to create an inviting, and inclusive community gathering space that happens to have exceptional coffee, beer, and food – not the opposite – and that means everything to us,” explained Zach.

According to the Tracys a focus on education will also be included at Juniper.

“At Juniper, education is in the fabric of our DNA. Whether it’s partnering with various departments at BGSU or the culinary programs at Penta Career Center and Owens Community College, offering experiential learning opportunities to students provides them with valuable experience while allowing us to benefit from their creative ideas and energy. It is a win-win for everyone,” said Zach. “Education also plays a major role in how we will interact with our customers at Juniper. Brewpubs and coffee shops have reputations for either being pretentious and making people feel inferior for asking basic questions, or their staff lack adequate knowledge to answer those basic questions. At Juniper, questions will be welcomed. It is what we will thrive on. By educating our staff and teaching them how to interact and answer customer questions, we hope to create an environment where people feel comfortable in asking questions, and ultimately allow them to have a better experience.”

The capacity of Juniper without social distancing restrictions will be around 170, but the Tracys are still working on capacity with social distancing restrictions in place. Juniper will employ approximately 30-35 full and part-time employees.

“We are really trying to create a space for everyone. Whether it be a family dinner, necessary adult coffee time while the young ones entertain themselves in the kid’s area, company or student group meetings, and everything in-between – Juniper is the place. We wish to create a space that bridges the divide between the university and the community and brings both together,” said Zach.