MUSKEGON, Mich. — A new brewery is preparing to open its doors to West Michigan next month, and they're looking for employees to help them get started.
Muskegon Brewing Company will be opening as part of the Adelaide Pointe development in June.
The brewery is owned by Emily Leestma, who also owns IBEX Hospitality and oversees ventures like Bear Lake Tavern, Adelaide Events, BLTiki and now, Muskegon Brewing Company. She said the site of the brewery is where the original Muskegon Brewing Company was founded in 1876, before shutting down after a devastating fire in the early 1900s.
"I really wanted to pay homage to the history of that site and, you know, kind of tell the story of how the site has really given Muskegon prosperity for a long time," said Leestma.
The brewery is partnered with Muskegon-based Pigeon Hill Brewing Company. Leestma said Pigeon Hill will produce new recipes under the Muskegon Brewing Company label, and she and her team will handle the food portion of the brewery.
She said the original Muskegon Brewing Company was known as a "stopover" of kinds for travelers—something she is bringing into the reestablished brewery.
"That's kind of what I want Muskegon Brewing Company to be now, is not just a restaurant or just a place with these unique beers, but an entire experience on the waterfront," she said.
Once its doors open in June, you'll be able to enjoy the restaurant's fare in various ways—from coming in to sit down and eat, stopping on the bike path that goes past the brewery or even having food brought to your boat.
Muskegon Brewing Company Renderings
Aubrey Glick, operations and marketing manager for Adelaide Pointe, said this method of interacting with customers will be significant for the Muskegon economy.
"Tourism is a huge main staple for the Muskegon community. And so having restaurants like this has brought in tons of people from every facet or location of Muskegon and beyond," Glick said. "So that's a very special time of the year. Summers are what makes the waterfront flourish and having those accessibilities is a big thing."
Glick said the construction on the restaurant has been coming along "very smoothly," and that the final touches are being put in place ahead of its grand opening.
As part of this process, there are plenty of job openings available both for the Muskegon Brewing Company and Bear Lake Tavern. Glick said summer jobs are "essential" for helping staff these restaurants, and that anyone wanting to work this summer is encouraged to apply.
"So we are still looking to fill positions here at the brewing company," she said. "We're targeted to open up in June, and we also are going to have an event center on-site as well, so there's going to be several jobs that are needing to be filled, whether it be a cook, server, hostess, event helper. We have jobs that are being filled, and we are looking for more people to do that."
She said interviews for these positions are ongoing and that there will be both new and returning staff at the restaurants.
Glick said the new experience along the waterfront will be one of a kind in West Michigan.
"It's going to be a place where everybody can come together," she said. "Kind of be a combination of a hub where people can enjoy live music, watch the water and enjoy the summer."
To see what positions are available now, click here.
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