A historic theater in downtown Grand Haven will be given new life as New Holland Brewing Co. moves forward with plans to transform the building into its newest spirits tasting room, according to news first seen on Crain’s Grand Rapids.
The theater building at 24 S. Washington Ave. now serves as an apartment complex, with the ground-floor theater remaining vacant. Originally built in 1928, the building is full of historic elements, including a decades-old bar. The brewery intends to make minimal modifications to the building to preserve these timeless elements with plans to resurrect an old aquarium that was once in the space.
“Our plan is to maintain as much of the character and charm of the space while still introducing the New Holland Brewing Company’s brand to the community,” Dave White, Vice President of Development and Facilities at New Holland Brewing Co. said in a press release. “Our special projects team is hard at work to get the space ready to welcome guests this summer.”
“Our building plans are different for this location because we are maintaining much of the original character of the location. For our other tasting rooms, we put our touch on every aspect of the space. But the history of this building is special, so we are keeping the original bar and many other elements,” Lynn Bosscher, New Holland’s communication contact told What Now Detroit.
Led by president Matt Hoeksema and CEO Brett VanderKamp, New Holland Brewing Co. has two other lakeshore locations in Saugatuck and South Haven, and its flagship bar in downtown Holland. The new spirits tasting room will join the company’s lakeshore locations and add a new hangout spot to the community.
“As part of our vision to create savored moments for the world, we are excited to bring the New Holland tasting room experience to the Grand Haven community,” VanderKamp said in the press release, “We continue to expand our footprint along the shores of Lake Michigan, and Grand Haven is nationally recognized as a top destination in the area. We’re thrilled to introduce the New Holland brand to the tourists and locals alike.”
The new Grand Haven tasting room, anticipated to open by Memorial Day, will offer cocktails made with New Holland’s award-winning spirits and spirits tasting flights. The space will also include a retail area with bottles to go and New Holland-branded merchandise.
