Here we go…
Where we started, where we are going, and how we are getting there.
When we started down this path of opening a brewery, I don’t think any of us could’ve imagined we would be where we are right now. When we finally decided to take the plunge into opening a brewery back in 2017, we knew we wanted to be calculated about our decisions so we set out to develop an extensive business plan for our crazy idea. Around the same time we decided to take that plunge, we were presented with the opportunity to assume ownership of an existing bar in Downtown Fairbanks— The Midnite Mine. The Midnite Mine had been in operation in Fairbanks since the early 70’s, and was well known in the community. The place needed some work. A true dive bar in every sense of the word. The dusty black walls were peppered with chalk signatures of washed up hockey players, star-crossed lovers, and everything in between. “Eclectic” decor, smoke stained neons, the whole bit. Oh did I mention there is a water feature?
Regardless of the first impression Midnite Mine put off, it held a certain charm that grew on us. The regular customers, the bartenders, everyone seemed to click well. It truly has a “Cheers” vibe about it. The first day I stepped foot in the place, the regulars and bartenders were having a potluck to celebrate the birthday of a long time regular. I mean, come on, how many bars in this day and age do that kind of thing?
Needless to say, the place needed a bit of TLC though. The walls needed scrubbing, the backbar needed updating, plumbing needed fixing, things just needed some upkeep. In a tucked away corner upstairs lived the ghost of a sandwich shop from days past. Along a dark, uncomfortably green corridor overlooking the rest of the bar sat two broken tables. In that quiet upstairs corridor that was seemingly forgotten to time, we dreamed up an even crazier idea. What if we put a nanobrewery up here? The small town feel of the place and the friendly greetings from visitors resonated with me. The occasional loud “CLANG” of a pipeline era giant sawmill blade affixed to the ceiling near the bar indicated someone buying the bar a round of drinks. I could see us implanting the concept of a taproom in this place but I didn’t want it to lose it’s charm.
So while we continued to develop our plan for a large facility, we began working on injecting a nanobrewery and taproom in the unused space upstairs. Midnite Mine Brewing Company was born, a 1 BBL pilot brewery and taproom featuring 10 taps, mixed drinks, draft cocktails, and awesome guest taps from other Alaskan superstars. This provided us the opportunity to take our beers to market, develop new beers, and help breathe life into The Midnite Mine.
Licensing isn’t simple for any operation. For us, it was especially difficult. The issue was, breweries and brewpubs weren’t specifically allowed in Downtown Fairbanks due to an outdated zoning code. So the first hurdle we had to leap over was approaching the City Council to help us get that code changed. We knew that for our current situation, we needed a brewpub license because we were attached to a premise with a liquor license. This also granted us the ability to serve guest beers and sell spirits along with our beers, which at 31 gallons of brewing capacity at a time…we needed.
Well we finally got open! Beer was flying over the taproom bar, we couldn’t keep up, which we anticipated. Since opening it’s been a constant grind to keep the taps flowing with new and inventive beers, and it has been so much fun! It is finally time for us to grow, though. The next step was finding a building for this big operation.
We shopped around a lot but nothing was jumping out. The unique thing about Fairbanks is that a lot of industrial facilities are either out of a reasonable price range, or lack certain elements that would make our lives a lot easier. Couple those factors with a growing population and an increase of industrial companies expanding in Fairbanks and you have very few options for available real estate! Our perfect location was right under our noses all along though, immediately next door to The Midnite Mine. To passerby’s, the building next door to The Midnite Mine would make most developers grimace. The space is a former laundromat, which had been abandoned in 2009. It lacked water, the roof was caving in, and still held all of the laundromat equipment from the day it closed up shop. To an outsider it lacked valuable qualities but to us, we saw a diamond in the rough. With the right team, and LOTS of hard work, this space could truly shine.
One important factor for me was it’s location in Downtown. The Downtown area has begun to boom with entertainment opportunities and commerce outlets. It is apparent that life is being brought back to Downtown, and it was important to me that I could be a small part of that growth. Our primary concept focuses around the value of community and an integral part of our entire operation is to be able to give back to Fairbanks. Being located in the heart of Fairbanks was the first stepping stone towards making that happen. So we did it. We purchased the old laundromat and began clearing it out to see exactly what we could do with the space.
As of writing this, we have gutted the building, began talks with our architect, and gone through primary licensing for the new facility! The next few months will be rigorous as we dive deeper into buildout, continue the operation of Midnite Mine Brewing Company, and simultaneously figure out how to be safe in the new world of COVID-19. We are extremely excited nonetheless about this step forward for craft beer in Fairbanks, and we can’t wait to share updates along the way! Stay tuned for more information as we take this journey together. We love Fairbanks, and we want to share our love in the best way we know how to—making great craft beer and fostering a positive environment for you to enjoy it in. Cheers