Two new Fort Mill breweries near openings. A third looms. What to expect, and when.
Fort Mill soon could have two new places where you can have a drink. A third may not be far behind.
Two breweries have expected spring openings. Both are in long-time Fort Mill commercial spaces, on either side of the downtown area.
1873 Brewing plans to open at 415 Tom Hall St. The building that has been a salon and other businesses in the past was upfitted as part of the Steele Street Station project. That larger project includes a Domino’s pizza restaurant, dentist and massage business. There’s an anchor space intended for a restaurant too.
Co-owners Chris LaRocque, Scott Coffey and Brad Rice will have 3,000 square feet of space and a 20-foot bar in the brewery named for the year Fort Mill was incorporated.
“We’ve kind of been working on this project for about two years,” LaRocque said. “We finally found a location that we liked.”
An exact opening date hasn’t been set.
”We expect it to be done in the next few months,” LaRocque said. “COVID has thrown a wrinkle in most people’s plans. Our target is probably late April.”
COVID wasn’t the only wrinkle. LaRocque (Germany) and Rice (Middle East) are deployed now for somewhat unexpected Army reserves military service.
“We probably wouldn’t have thought to open a business right in the middle of overseas tours,” LaRocque said. “That’s made it a challenge.”
Coffey has decades of brewing experience and Rice has food service and operations experience. LaRocque said the trio wants to become a bigger part of their community.
“We’re three guys that are learning our way through this,” he said.
Family Friendly
On the opposite side of downtown, Little York Brewing is on a similar schedule. Its 1029 Spratt St. location is a former small industrial site. It, too, has been upfitted in recent years after some time vacant.
Little York still has a town rezoning to complete, which should put an opening in late spring.
“We’re looking at late April, is kind of our hope,” said owner RJ Manoni.
Manoni has been a homebrewer since college and a competition brewer for a decade.
”Finally my wife said get all this junk out of the garage,” he joked.
The brewery will be just less than 4,000 square feet. The tasting room will occupy about 3,000 square feet of it. The site will include a bicycle repair place, another pet passion for Manoni. He envisions a place where the whole family can enjoy a Saturday out together.
”We’re going to be extremely family friendly,” Manoni said.
Manoni said there is enough interest in craft beer and brewing to have what soon will be three breweries in just a few-mile stretch in town.
“We’re hoping it’ll make downtown Fort Mill a little more of a destination for the craft beer enthusiasts,” he said.
Arcade microbrewery
A little behind the two planned spring openings is yet another Fort Mill brewery in the growing Kingsley area. According to its Facebook page, Replay Brewing plans a late summer opening. Plans include an arcade-themed microbrewery.
Growing adult beverage industry
The additions show a continued trend in the adult beverage industry. Amor Artis Brewing opened three years ago on Main Street. Lore Brewing Company in Indian Land opened the same year.
Lake Wylie Brewing Company opened in Fort Mill, near Tega Cay, prior. Model A Brewing in Tega Cay opened late last year.
Rock Hill has Dust Off, Legal Remedy, Rock Hill and Slow Play breweries. There’s also a Legal Remedy Cantina and Lake Wylie Brewing, second sites for those popular companies.
Visit York County set up the YoCo Brew Trail to highlight the growing industry. According to the tourism group, there was a 6% increase in Brew Trail check-ins at area breweries during 2020 even with the COVID-19 pandemic.
This story was originally published January 28, 2021 at 12:10 PM.
