USA, MI: Looking Glass Brewing Company plans to open to public next week

The vacant, 5,800 square-foot church in downtown DeWitt was a bigger project than Joel Dillingham and his partners were looking for, the Lansing State Journal reported on March 21.

But with its bright stained glass windows and open feel, they couldn't help but think it was an ideal spot to open their brewery, Dillingham said.

“We couldn’t have set this up any better," he said on a recent tour of the now-complete Looking Glass Brewing Company. “You want the place to be inviting. If you walk into a church and it doesn’t feel inviting, there’s something wrong with that.”

Dillingham co-owns the brewery with his wife, Shelly, and another couple, Lee and Jodi Streeter. They bought the former church building from the city in January 2017 and have since poured about $700,000 into equipment and upgrades for the space.

They plan to open to the public this week.

Dillingham, who spent more than 10 years working in sales for OfficeMax, first became interested in craft beer while traveling for work. He'd scope out the best local food spots, many of which happened to be breweries.

“Now when I travel, I only look for breweries," he said.

About four years ago, he met Streeter, now the head brewer at Looking Glass, through a mutual friend. Streeter has been home-brewing since the mid-90s.

Dillingham had worked for more than 20 years in sales and retail, but he decided he wanted to make the brewing business his final career. About three years ago, he and Streeter started making plans to open a brewery in the Lansing area.

Dewitt stood out as an untapped market, Dillingham said. But the only space available downtown at the time was the storefront that's now home to The Crafted Bean. It wouldn't have been large enough.

That's when a realtor friend pointed them to the church.

The 1930 building has been home to a handful of congregations but sat largely unused for the past seven years, Dillingham said.

Today, the kitchen is situated in the altar. The bar sits in an addition tacked onto the side of the church in the '50s or '60s. The hardwood floors throughout the space are all original, as are the large stained glass windows.

“You don’t even miss the clear glass,” Dillingham said. “When the sun’s out, you still feel it.”

Teal green walls compliment the dark wood sectioning off the kitchen from the eating area. A long pew — bought from a Grand Rapids church — sits beneath a row of stained glass windows.

The main area, once home to church pews, can seat around 90 people. Dillingham said they plan to open a private space in the basement as well as an outdoor patio for around 60 people.

Starting out, Looking Glass will serve seven beers, among them "Mad Cow Milk Stout" and "J. Ripper- London Porter." They'll also have two types of cider (a pear and a cherry) and a red and a white wine.

Dillingham said their goal is to make 370 barrels of beer in their first year.

Big Guy Foods is renting the kitchen space and will serve up brisket, mac n cheese, poutine and nachos. Owner Melood Abugasea said visitors can also expect homemade barbecue sauce and hand-cut fries.

He also said he's trying to reach vegetarians with menu items such as smoked jackfruit, a large fruit native to south and southeast Asia.

“You think of barbecue just as this meat concept and that all you do is heavy, fatty meats," Abugasea said. "We’re trying to do some fresh things.”

Devin Hekkema, the manager at nearby Bridge Street Social, said the brewery could help draw in new visitors to the area, which would be a boost for the surrounding businesses.

Having more options in downtown DeWitt could help the area become more of a destination, he said.

“We’re definitely really excited for them to be open and add to the downtown DeWitt community," he said. “We’re really hoping it can help bring in more people."

Dillingham said he hopes Looking Glass becomes a central piece of the DeWitt community. He envisions charity partnerships and being involved with events like the Ox Roast once things settle down after the opening.

He said he wants the brewery to serve as a welcoming and inviting gathering space for the whole family.

“We built this place as somewhere we would bring our own families," he said.

22 March, 2018