IONIA, Mich. — A new brewery is preparing to open its doors in downtown Ionia, adding another locally owned business to a city leaders say is continuing to grow.
County Seat Brewing Company, located between Fuller's Furniture and the Ionia City Market on W Main St., has been under construction for several months. The brewery is co-owned by two local couples who are preparing to open the new downtown business in August.
WATCH: New brewery joins wave of growth in Ionia
"We love this town, this is our town," co-owner Logan Bailey said. "We're very excited to be right in the heart of it and providing something like this for our community," Bailey said.
County Seat Brewing Company will open in phases, with each stage adding more beverage options for customers.
"Our phase one opening, we will have four taps and anywhere from two to four wines available," co-owner Mark Ludema said. "Phase two, we're looking at more like 12 to 14 taps, so we will have a much wider range available at any given time."
Although the doors haven't officially opened, the owners have been documenting the renovation process through weekly social media updates to build excitement.
"We decided to just go all in on that and try to offer something every week to give people a little bit of a taste of what's going on here," Bailey said.
The brewery is one of several signs of growth in Ionia. In June, FOX 17 reported on two housing developments planned for the city that will add 84 single-family homes and 12 townhomes.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ionia City Council approves more than $35 million in housing investments
Mayor John Milewski said those projects reflect the city's increasing population and create opportunities for new businesses.
"The thriving growth that we're seeing necessitates some of these housing developments," Milewski said.
He believes businesses like County Seat Brewing Company can help make downtown Ionia a destination for both residents and visitors.
"I believe thoroughly that the businesses we bring to downtown can make us a spotlight in central west Michigan," Milewski said.
Visitors are already noticing the changes. While running errands in Ionia, Gratiot County residents Jill and Brad Gross said they hadn't visited downtown in several years.
"When we turned that corner and got onto this beautiful paved brick road, it took our breath away," Jill Gross said.
After learning about the brewery's upcoming opening, the couple said it gives them another reason to return.
"Oh absolutely," Jill Gross responded when asked if she’d return to Ionia. "Knowing there's businesses down here to go see, absolutely."
That's exactly what the County Seat owners hope to hear as downtown continues to evolve.
"I think anything we can do to get folks to downtown Ionia on our beautiful brick street is nothing but a benefit for the community," Bailey said.
County Seat Brewing Company expects to begin its phased opening in August. The owners say additional details, including an official opening date, will be announced through the brewery's social media pages.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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