USA, OH: Ignite Brewing Co. to launch new location in northern Medina County

Ignite Brewing Co., a downtown Barberton brewery that has recently expanded its beer-production capacity and food selection is growing again — this time to a new location in northern Medina County, the Akron Beacon Journal reported on October 13.

The company on West Tuscarawas Avenue is expected to open a second location early next year on North Carpenter Road in Brunswick. The spot inside the Swish 365 building, which houses a sports facility, provides easy access from Interstate 71 and state Route 303.

Co-owner Michael Chisnell said on October 11 in a phone interview that the location offers several advantages that complement the Barberton brew house.

"There is no other (craft) brewery in a 15-minute radius," he said. "It gets us further north, toward the west side of Cleveland and Medina County."

Chisnell said the Brunswick location will create new business for the brewing company in the winter and spring, when indoor capacity limits on-site sales in Barberton.

"In Barberton, our busy season is May through November," he said. "The Brunswick (location), they attract about 2,000 people per day at the location November through May. Our slower season is their busy season."

Chisnell said he and the owner of the sports facility had been discussing the concept.

"He purchased the Brunswick facility, and we had been talking for a little while," Chisnell said. "It was the right location."

An Ignite representative said in an email that the brewing company received initial approvals for exterior patio space from the Brunswick Planning Department last month, and hopes to open the location early next year.

Craig Welch, a Swish 365 partner, said the partnership will benefit his company, also.

“Michael and I have had the privilege of working together in the past on other projects, and it has been great bringing our teams together to partner in new and different ways,” he said in an email.

The location also offers Ignite storage capacity unavailable at its current Barberton location, and the ability for its food service partner to operate a full-service kitchen, he said.

The Barberton brewing company opened about five years ago, and has shown solid growth even through the coronavirus pandemic. Recently, it expanded its brewing capacity to accommodate sales growth. In 2020, the brewery’s total volume sales climbed 39%, rising another 31% in 2021.

“We’ll have almost 53,000 beers being made at any one time,” Chisnell said in June. “We can can one case of beer per minute.”

Ignite used its outdoor seating to its advantage in the summer of 2021 during the pandemic, drawing customers to the extensive patio while inside seating was still banned at food establishments. The brewery also accelerated plans to distribute its products at local retailers, bringing Acme, Buehler’s and Discount Drug Mart on board, along with independent retailers throughout the area.

The brewery added three 30-barrel fermentation tanks over the summer, dramatically increasing capacity about 125%.

“Logistically, Barberton is one of the area’s best-kept secrets,” he said in June.

Chisnell said that after the Brunswick location is up and running, the company may find it necessary to expand in Barberton, where owners plan to keep manufacturing operations and company headquarters.

"We are going to need to do a meaningful brewhouse expansion," Chisnell said. "(We) have been in talks with neighboring property owners."

The company has expanded its Barberton patio to accommodate seasonal demand, but inside space at its Tuscarawas Street location is limited, with brewing and canning operations both taking place there. Chisnell said depending on growth, Ignite might move production to another Barberton location.

"We continue to explore real estate opportunities in Barberton for future expansion considerations," he said.

The company currently has seven full-time and about 20 part-time employees, he said. With the Brunswick location adding demand and sales of its product, Chisnell expects Ignite will need to hire more manufacturing and sales employees in Barberton.

In Brunswick, Ignite is planning for about 5,000 square feet of patio space to add about 120 seats to the location. It will include an enclosed "four-seasons" room, if plans are approved. The company expects to offer 16 beers on tap, with its canned product available, along with growlers and crowlers (the canned, 32-ounce cousin of the growler).

“The Swish 365 team and the city of Brunswick have been great partners in the planning process, and we are very thankful for the warm welcome, support, and positive feedback from the Brunswick community," Chisnell said in an email.

Swish 365 offers a variety of sports-themed activities at its Brunswick location, including basketball leagues and tournaments, an Extreme Ninja Warrior gym, an ax-throwing range and a flex space for unique events. In addition to the Medina County location, Swish 365 has facilities in North Canton, New Philadelphia, North Ridgeville and Solon, providing potential partnerships for new Ignite locations down the road, Chisnell said.

"We will brew as much beer as the market wants from Ignite," he said.

14 October, 2022