First Brewery in Bedford, VA
Opportunity
A vacant and dilapidated 12,000 square foot building in the heart of the Bedford community.
Developer Dave McCormack worked with Virginia Community Capital (VCC) to fund the first brewery in Bedford, Virginia, Beale’s Beer. The brewery creates a dog and family friendly space for the community to enjoy and come together while also bringing jobs to the area.
Solutions
- Flexible Funding
The projects VCC backs are sometimes considered “too complicated” from the broader financial community, Beale’s Beer is no exception. It took creativity and innovative thinking to package the financing with Bedford’s Economic Development Authority and Waukeshaw Development, supplement tax credit investment, and support the expansion of this business.
Impact
Beale’s inhabits a 12,000 square-foot building containing a 30-barrel brew system, taproom, and kitchen. The indoor capacity is 86 people while the outdoor can seat 60 people. Beale’s opened their doors in late June, 2017. In the first month they doubled what they expected to sell. This overwhelming welcome has enabled them to employ 45 staff members.