E-Malt.com News article: US, PA: Sly Fox Brewing to relocate its brewing operation to Pottstown

Sly Fox Brewing, an award-winning, family-owned, craft beer company from Phoenixville, announced on June, 14 it will relocate its Royersford brewing operation to the borough's Circle of Progress in the Pottstown Airport Business Center. The move will allow the company to triple its beer production, The Mercury reported on June, 16.

The announcement was made by John Giannopoulos and his brother Peter Giannopoulos, managing partners of Sly Fox Brewing, which also includes three other siblings and their father.

"We are really excited about this. It's been fun — crazy fun," John Giannopoulos said, while giving a Mercury reporter a tour of Sly Fox's 30,000-square-foot Circle of Progress building.

Sly Fox took possession of the Pottstown building in the beginning of the year. In addition to relocating its executive offices, Sly Fox also moved the contents of a former warehouse in Limerick to the Pottstown site, according to Giannopoulos.

After looking for space in areas including Phoenixville, Royersford and King of Prussia, Sly Fox settled on the six-acre Pottstown location because it allows room to grow, John Giannopoulos said.

"This building has almost exactly what we need," he said. "And we can purchase an additional two acres if we want to expand. We didn't want to be landlocked."

"We have to be able to make more beer in order to meet the demand, and we also want to grow the business in both our present markets and look to expand into some new markets," said Peter Giannopoulos in the statement.

Once the brewery is up and running, which is expected by November, another 10 to 15 jobs will be created, John Giannopolous said. About 15 employees, including Brewmaster Brian O'Reilly, will be moving from the Royersford location to the new Pottstown site.

Sly Fox plans to seek a variance to current borough zoning code to allow for a tasting room at the front of the brewery. Giannopoulos said he is hopeful an outside patio seating area will be allowed as part of that variance.


17 June, 2011