The Gateway Region is already home to a long list of attractions and lifestyle amenities that attract visitors from all over the country.
And this month, it added two more.
In June, not one, but two breweries opened in the region, offering residents and tourists new hot spots to enjoy fresh, local beer and food.
In Chesterfield County, Steam Bell Beer Works had its grand opening weekend June 11-12, welcoming eager patrons from around the metro area to try new brews and menus. Steam Bell has been well-received by the public so far, selling out of 50 kegs the first night alone. The brewer-owned operation focuses on family, good times and local pride while making good beer and customers feel at home.
Only a week later, local developer and business owner Dave McCormack premiered Trapezium Brewing Company to the public June 18 in Petersburg, welcoming hordes of customers the first few days. Featuring homemade beer and pizza straight from a large brick oven, Trapezium represents the next step in the city’s downtown resurgence.
“There’s an amazing vibe coming from Petersburg right now, and you can feel a rebirth happening, you can feel people coming here, and I feel like we’re going to be an anchor here at Trapezium,” said Trapezium’s Head Brewer James Frazer in a video about brewing locally.
These are just two examples of an overall renaissance of activity in the Tri-Cities and surrounding area, which in turn further grows the regional economy as a whole. The community continues to increase engagement with its citizens through establishments such as these while utilizing local agricultural resources to power production.
Within the next year, the region will also welcome yet another brewery and two new distilleries that plan to locally-source ingredients.