Two breweries are scheduled to open in downtown Des Moines in the first half of 2022: Big Grove and Twisted Vine.

The additions of the beer brewing establishments are expected to spark more visitors to the downtown area, said one downtown Des Moines promoter.

Breweries “are great, great amenities to actually activate neighborhoods,” Tim Leach, senior vice president of downtown development for the Greater Des Moines Partnership, said during a recent Des Moines Downtown Chamber-sponsored discussion on downtown development activity.

Big Grove Brewery is expected to open in May 2022 in about 12,000 square feet of the former Crescent Chevrolet building at 555 17th St. Twisted Vine Brewery is expected to open in the first half of 2022 on the street level of a building at 112 S.E. Fourth St. in Des Moines’ East Village. The historic building is undergoing a $6.3 million historic renovation.

The breweries join six others in the downtown Des Moines area: Confluence Brewing Co., 1235 Thomas Beck Road; Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewing Co., 300 Court Ave.; Exile Brewing Co., 1514 Walnut St.; Lua Brewing Co., 1525 High St.; Peace Tree Brewing Co., 317 E. Court Ave.; and 1717 Brewing Co., 322 E. Court Ave.

Iowa had 107 craft breweries in 2020, according to the Boulder, Colo.-based Brewers Association. The economic impact of the breweries, including sales of craft beer brewed in Iowa and non-beer products, was over $812 million, according to the association.

Leach said he once asked a developer whether “we should be concerned about the oversaturation of breweries. He told me that he didn’t think beer was ever going to go out of style. I think that’s right.”

Places like breweries and restaurants help create foot traffic in neighborhoods, Leach said.

In July, downtown foot traffic briefly returned to pre-pandemic levels, he said. Since the emergence of the coronavirus delta variant, foot traffic has again dropped.

Still, the short-lived return of foot traffic during the summer “does show the power of downtown neighborhoods,” Leach said. “That’s what we’re trying to do – drive traffic to things on Main Street that make a place.” 

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Coming to downtown Des Moines (or recently opened)

The following is a look at a few of the restaurants, bars, breweries and coffee shops that have been recently completed, are underway or have been announced. The list does not include every business.

Big Grove Brewery 

PROJECT DEVELOPER: Krause+

LOCATION: 555 17th St.

ANTICIPATED OPENING: Mid-2022

 

Mad Meatball

OWNER/OPERATOR: Andy Hartman

LOCATION: Street level of Linc, a mixed-use development by Hubbell Realty Co. at 200 S.W. 11th St.

ANTICIPATED OPENING: December

 

Craft Bru Taproom

OWNER/OPERATOR: Dennis Dix

LOCATION: Street level of Linc, a mixed-use development by Hubbell Realty Co. at 200 S.W. 11th St.

OPENED: September

 

Ricochet Game Lounge & Social Bar 

CO-OWNERS: Brad Argo and Mike Utley

LOCATION: Street level of Capital Square, 400 Locust St.

ANTICIPATED OPENING: December

 

Zora’s Rooftop Bar

OWNER/OPERATOR: Ed Allen

LOCATION: 2120 Ingersoll Ave.

OPENED: Late August

 

Table 128 Restaurant

OWNER/OPERATOR: Lynn Pritchard

LOCATION: 220 S.W. Ninth St., a new mixed-use building owned by Sherman Associates

ANTICIPATED OPENING: Early 2022

Starbucks Coffeehouse

OWNER: Sherman Associates

LOCATION: 220 S.W. Ninth St., a new mixed-use building owned by Sherman Associates

OPENED: Fall 2021

 

Tupelo Honey Cafe

OWNER/OPERATOR: Tupelo Honey Cafe, a North Carolina-based restaurant chain that serves Southern-style food

LOCATION: Street level of the Miesblock building at 665 Grand Ave.

ANTICIPATED OPENING: First quarter 2022

 

Common Ground Coffee Shop 

OPERATOR: Company Kitchen, EMC Insurance Cos.’ food and catering partner

LOCATION: 700 Walnut St.

ANTICIPATED OPENING: Jan. 3, 2022

 

Twisted Vine Brewery

FOUNDERS: Brian Sabus, Steve Becker and Steve Breman

LOCATION: First floor of 112 S.E. Fourth St., a building owned by Stapek Partners LLC, which includes developers Tim Rypma, Jeremy Cortright and Paul Cownie

ANTICIPATED OPENING: Spring 2022