Arlington brewery and downtown ‘anchor point’ receives grant from city for upgrades
A brewery and taproom considered an anchor point in a bustling downtown Arlington development will receive a little help from the city to keep growing.
Legal Draft Beer Company at 500 E. Division St. will receive $200,000 to put towards hiring mid- and senior-level staff and upgrading or replacing equipment. In return, the taproom must increase sales each year, hire and keep on four additional full-time employees and provide space for at least five city- or community-sponsored events each year.
Greg McCarthy, Legal Draft co-owner, said his company looked to expand during the beginning of the pandemic so they could return stronger as restrictions eased. The company made $200,000 in investments last year to upgrade equipment, according to city documents. The company expects to spend around $650,000 this year, including the $200,000 from the grant.
“We’ll make some more investments in both upgraded and additional equipment to make sure that we can meet the demand for the beer that we’ve got,” McCarthy said.
Council voted 8-1 to award the grant, with District 8 Councilmember Ruby Faye Woolridge as the only opposition vote.
Deputy City Manager Jim Parajon said both the city and surrounding developments in Urban Union, a center that features businesses such as Cartel Taco Bar and the highly anticipated Cane Rosso, could expect to see a return on investment on the grant in three to six years after granting the fund.
Richard Weber, who spoke in opposition to the grant, said he did not believe taxpayers should foot the bill for a brewery in a tax reinvestment zone.
“It will cost us a lot more than $200,000 if we let them get away and someone else attracts them,” Mayor Jeff Williams said.
McCarthy, a longtime attorney, and his business partner Curt Taylor opened their downtown watering hole in 2016 after years of floating the idea past friends and family over cold ones. Both men have lived in Arlington for decades.
McCarthy said in a phone interview he was honored council members would even consider the agreement.
“We decided very consciously to found this brewery here and open it up in Arlington,” he said. “To have them consider this kind of support is a pretty gratifying thing.”
