JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Legacy Ale Works sits at the back of a large strip mall, but don't judge a book by its cover.
Despite its unassuming exterior, the brewery, which sits on the corner of Old St. Augustine Road and U.S. 1, has quickly jumped the ranks to become one of the best along the First Coast.
It's been a long road for owners Matt and Liz Jacobs. They opened the brewery on Feb. 16, 2019. They only had about a year before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and they were forced to get creative.
Legacy held "Pick Up Parties" with some of their neighboring businesses and made to-go beer an easy option.
The brewery survived the economic hardships that many local breweries faced during the pandemic and, once the dust settled, came back even stronger.
On Monday, the brewery announced that after a few months of careful planning and negotiations, the brewery and taproom is expanding by 1400 square ft.
"After navigating two tumultuous years through the pandemic, where our future felt most uncertain, we have enjoyed seeing customers once again enjoying the taproom and the return of all our favorite events - from our monthly beer pairings to larger parties like our upcoming Oktoberfest celebration," said Liz Jacobs on Legacy's website.
"The proposed expansion will hopefully allow our customers to enjoy additional seating style options, the return of our pub-style kitchen and a secluded area to host parties, networking and social events."
The brewery says the expansion will provide the taproom with an additional 750+ square feet of taproom seating and private event space suitable for up to 50 guests, with reservations available starting in January.
In addition, the brewery will also increase by an additional 600+ square feet, nearly double it’s current size.
The brewery says along with supplemental manufacturing and retail space, the project will also include modifications to the existing bar to allow for additional bar seating as well as upgrades and reopening of the existing taproom kitchen.
"Our intent with the overall design will be a bit of a deviation from our existing taproom as we will be leaving the ceiling exposed for a more industrial look," said Liz Jacobs.
"The walls will be darker and will include elements of wood and brick including wall sconces made from a bourbon barrel that was used in the aging of our Sweet Stout Without - Barrel Edition. Our lounge seating and game area will relocate to the new space and will receive a facelift with new seating and updated games."
The brewery says the rear section of the expanded taproom space will also include a buffet area for private event catering, as well as oversized glass doors and windows for viewing of the brewery.
"While supply chain issues and labor shortages continue to be an issue for the construction industry, our hope is that our simplified design and industrial aesthetic will allow us to mitigate some of the current setbacks most are facing," said Liz Jacobs.
"We feel truly blessed by the continued outpouring of support we have received from the community. Stay tuned for updates and the announcement of the opening of the new and improved Legacy Ale Works!"
