How Many Is Too Many? Two More Breweries Announce Openings In Grand Rapids

Have we reached critical mass as far as breweries go In Grand Rapids? The Creston Brewery opened up this week, and the City Built Brewery announced it will open in the Monroe North neighborhood in September.

Add to that, Detroit's Atwater Brewery opening up a location on Michigan Avenue, and Holland's New Holland Brewery putting its footprint on the West Side on Bridge Street, and you have to ask, is it possible GR has too many breweries?

I love craft beer as much as the next guy, and I don't want to be a Negative Nancy, but the question has to be asked, because it seems that in GR, there's only so many beer dollars to go around.

However, beer tourism continues to be a growing industry in Grand Rapids, and the convention buisness has been booming, so maybe they're all going after the out of town dollars.

Creston Brewery opened its doors this week at 1504 Plainfield NE in the former DeKorne Furniture Store. One of the owners, Vincent  Lambert told the Grand Rapids Business Journal, it's the up and coming Creston neighborhood that he's targeting.

“Creston is the largest neighborhood in Grand Rapids, and its demographics reflect this beautiful city we all share,” Lambert told the GRBJ. “The neighborhood is economically, socially and culturally diverse and that’s why we were driven to start our brewery here."

Meanwhile, over in Monroe North, City Built say they will open the doors on their new brewery on September 23. City Built will occupy the ground floor of the 616 Lofts Apartments.

City Built's investors say the bar will also be a "local" brewery. “We love our community, and we are thrilled to be a part of the growth in the North Monroe neighborhood, while adding to the expansion of West Michigan’s craft beer industry,” co-founder David Petroelje told the GRBJ.

The burgeoning apartment dwellers in the Monroe North neighborhood are the target of City Built, who say their bar will have a 'Puerto Rican flavor'.

Drink up, Grand Rapids, the beer is still flowing at a Rapid rate.