Germania plans store, event site in Jerseyville

Locals will more familiarly recognize their footprint as encompassing the longtime former Norton Hardware store and White Spot restaurant locations, with Dairy Queen and the Knights of Columbus Hall as its immediate neighbors.

“Our Jerseyville site will be the largest, but will maintain the comfort you feel at both the Alton and Godfrey sites,” said co-owner Jared Brynildsen. “It will have a dedicated drive-thru, event center and full kitchen.

“Our goal will be to continue to serve the best coffee in the St. Louis area while adding a food menu that matches it,” he said. “The location will feature many of the themes seen in our first two locations, including an electric fireplace, sofas, ambient lighting, various lounge areas and a kids’ area.”

Brynildsen co-owns Germania Brew Haus with his wife, Carolyn, and younger brother, Ben Brynildsen, who is also general manager of the company’s day-to-day operations. Jared and Carolyn Brynildsen also serve as active duty military officers in the Army and Air Force, respectively.

The 6,000 square foot Jerseyville site will include a sit-down coffee space as well as a cafe and liquor bar.

“We will have a bar, but at this stage it will be mainly for on-site events,” said Jared Brynildsen. “If the community has the desire, and the city is ready, then we can consider hosting a speak-easy cocktail bar type evening. Our goal is to bring the community together and encourage societal interaction.

“We also like to actively serve our small town communities,” he added. “We’re looking for ways to give back, whether it’s fundraising for our partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, tuition roundup campaigns for Lewis and Clark Community College, or Restoring the Network.

“We want to demonstrate our values ​​instead of just hanging signs and telling people what they are,” he said. “We believe that if you invest in a community, it will also invest in you.”

The family plans to partner with Alton-based WOW Event Center to ensure the new Jerseyville event space is better utilized on weekends.

“During weekdays and weekend mornings, we plan to host a small children’s play area, so parents can let their kids burn off their energy while they build their own,” said Jared Brynildsen. .

Germania Brew Haus’ Alton site opened in 2017 in the former Germania Bank building on Broadway.

“We opened the first Germania because we wanted to reinvest in the community my wife and I grew up in,” Brynildsen said. “We noticed a big void in the coffee community and thought it would be a perfect fit for the building we had found and purchased.

“The word ‘Germania’ was carved in stone on the building and was known as such throughout Alton,” he said. “Also, my wife was stationed in Germany when we first met and we were living in Germantown Nashville when we first got married.

“Once we opened the doors to Alton it became popular, but it wasn’t until a few years later in late 2019 that we really started to become a bigger business,” he said. declared. “When COVID hit, we decided, with the support of the city hall, to put drive-thru in the parking spaces directly in front of the building there. Business took off and we accelerated our search for a second location.One was in Godfrey, across from Lewis and Clark Community College.

“Opened at the end of 2020, it has also been very successful,” he said. “So we started looking to expand our market reach and brand recognition even further.”

The Jerseyville site is expected to employ one full-time member as well as 10-15 part-time positions. Those interested in becoming a “Germaniac” can apply via the company’s Facebook page, @Germania Brew Haus.

The Brynildsens worked with Jerseyville officials and staff to develop the old hardware store and restaurant facilities, as well as the alleyway behind them and the short strip of street between them. The development will add green space and parking to the historic downtown district.

“We really love the Jerseyville community. The Mayor and members of City Council have worked hard and diligently with us to ensure this is a mutually beneficial relationship. We have been in the planning stages of this location and its adjacent development for over six months now. However, the city has had plans for something similar for much longer,” Brynildsen said. “Downtown has come a long way lately, and its destination is even more exciting. We are proud to be part of this growing and long respected community.

Jerseyville Director of Economic Development Jeff Soer said the public-private partnership will benefit everyone.

“Dairy Queen, KC Hall, all northern businesses and institutions, improvements to the Lions Club and Wittman Parks, the downtown district and the city as a whole will all benefit,” he said. he declares. “Germania Brew Haus, as another element of the overall development of the historic downtown district, will fit seamlessly into our community.

“Members of the Jerseyville City Council should be credited for being foresighted about this and what is being done throughout Jerseyville with its ongoing improvements and developments, including the Downtown District,” Soer said. “They are on board with improving our community, from all park improvements to providing TIF incentives to do whatever it takes. Jerseyville is very business-friendly, and all of this could not have happened without the Board’s approval and continued support.

“Jerseyville is a sales-tax driven community,” Soer said. “There aren’t a lot of funds being generated to support the town from local property taxes. The revenue that will come into the town will be a significant help, and Germania’s presence will help attract buyers who will spend with other community merchants in town. It’s a win-win. We know they’re a great business to have here. They give back to their communities and are incredibly supportive.”

To learn more about Germania Brew Haus, follow them on Facebook, @GermaniaBrewHaus, germaniabrewhaus.com or by calling 314-667-4751. To learn more about Jerseyville and its historic downtown district, contact Shari Albrecht at 217-556-8696, visit jedc-il.us online, or download and access the “Explore Jerseyville” app with any which mobile device.
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This article was prepared for JEDC Partners in Progress by Melissa Meske Publications, macmeske.com.