Grand Rapids Brewing Company

On January 1, 1893, six local breweries joined forces and opened Grand Rapids Brewing Co. Over the next two decades, they built a monumental brewery at the corner of Michigan Street and Ionia Avenue, what is now the site of a state office building. Capitalizing on the location’s ample supply of fresh spring water and a refreshingly drinkable flagship beer, Silver Foam, GRBC became one of Midwest’s largest and best-known breweries. In 1920, Prohibition brought that success story to a crashing halt. When the bans on alcohol production and sales were lifted, GRBC merged with several other breweries and eventually left town. In 2012, Mark Sellers, founder of BarFly Ventures and owner of three other area bars, brought GRBC to downtown Grand Rapids, just 6 blocks from its original location. Today’s GRBC opened on December 5, 2012, 79 years to the day after the repeal of Prohibition. Show Less