Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. met its fundraising goal for the final work on its Hyattsville brewery and tasting room.
The Hyattsville Wire recently caught up with co-owner Mark Burke who said the brewery passed final inspection and that they were working on some finishing touches before an official opening in July, but said they plan on having some soft openings prior to then.
In a video posted on Kickstarter, Burke along with co-owners Jon Cetrano and Sam Costner, explained that they were raising money for a keg washer, grain mill and ingredients for the first few batches of beer.
Conducted in sign language, the video features the three owners explaining that their goals in opening the brewery include providing employment for the deaf community, supporting other deaf-owned businesses and creating a gathering place for the deaf community and the greater Route 1 community to enjoy good beer.
“We look forward to becoming the first 100 percent deaf-owned and operated brewery in the Eastern U.S.,” says Cetrano.
Old Soul Brewing in Fort Myers, Fla., which opened in 2014, has a co-owner who is partially deaf.
The first deaf-owned brewery in the U.S. appears to be Lochiel Brewing, which was started in Mesa, Ariz., in 2015 by Ian Cameron. In an interview with a local paper, he joked that he was the sole owner “mostly because of failed attempts to get investors.”
Grateful Deaf Brewing in Portland, Ore., opened in 2016.
Streetcar 82 may have met its goal, but it’s still raising money to help pay for an opening day celebration, and the owners are offering some cool perks for donors. Check out the Kickstarter here.
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