USA, NJ: King’s Road Brewing Company plans larger production facility in Burlington County

King’s Road Brewing Company has plans to expand into Burlington County, the Burlington County Times reported on November 2.

The Haddonfield brewery announced on November 1 plans to open a larger production facility in the former Kirby Brothers feed store in Medford Township.

The new location will allow for greater beer-making production, canning and distribution, said Bob Hochgertel, King’s Road Brewing Company co-owner and managing director. The second location will also feature a small tasting room.

The expansion comes just one year after the brewery moved from its original location at 127 Kings Highway East into a much larger space just a few doors away.

“The good news/bad news is that the new space provided more beer, but also much bigger crowds, so again we found ourselves struggling to have enough extra inventory for canning and distribution,” Hochgertel said. “Even with COVID, it was determined that we needed a larger production facility someplace else.”

According to Hochgertel, the Medford location “kind of fell in our laps.” But with a downtown location, and the opportunity to share space with Medford businesses Whole Hog Café, Wing it Forward and Harvest Coffee, who are also slated to move into the former Kirby Brothers feed store, it was a no brainer, he said.

“There seems to be a real renaissance or redevelopment going on in Medford, with new and additional restaurants being added,” Hochgertel said. “We’re excited to be a part of it.”

With the expansion Hochgertel hopes to get King’s Road Brewing Company beers into more local more bars and restaurants in both the Haddonfield and Medford areas, he said.

“Many restaurants have strong ‘'local craft'’ tap lists and I really feel King's Road needs to be a part of that landscape, and that in turn drives more interest and visitors back to the tasting room,” Hochgertel said.

The two locations will be very similar in feel, but about 60% of the new Medford location will be dedicated to production and 40% of the space dedicated to a tasting room. In Haddonfield, it's reversed, Hochgertel said.

The Medford location’s building and business zoning has been approved, Hochgertel said. Now the brewery is preparing construction drawings for the interior, and going through the licensing and permit process with the ABC.

The new location is expected to open around April 2021.

“We’re excited and nervous,” Hochgertel said. “While we did well through COVID, it did impact us somewhat financially but I feel like we were not as impacted as others … We feel privileged we’re in a situation where we can expand.”

03 November, 2020