Bethany seeks brewery, tavern restaurant
March 15, 2018
Bethany is a cool little town in the hill country of West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. The quaint hamlet is home to the highly regarded Bethany College. Problem is, it’s a college town with an empty tavern, one in need of an operator and possibly the chance to add a small brewpub. It could be just the business opportunity you have been seeking.
Who would like to put a tavern, restaurant and, possibly, a brewery in Bethany? That’s the question being asked by Bethany College Vice President of Operations John Lipinski. He pulled together some information on this business opportunity for Brilliant Stream.
“In the meantime,” writes Lipinski, “the Town and College of Bethany have no operating tavern.”
The 1930s vintage building has ample bar, restaurant, and event space, plus room for some small pub brewery equipment, if desired, on its ground floor. The upstairs of the two-story brick building was at one time an inn.
The Town of Bethany was founded in 1827 and the college in 1840. The town’s leaders call it a community of arts, culture, and education. It is a welcoming, progressive community in Brooke County, about 30 minutes from downtown Wheeling and one hour from downtown Pittsburgh. Bethany’s somewhat isolated location increases the need for a local tavern, rather than having people drive to the big city on curvy roads. A tavern operator would have pretty much a captive audience in this town with a population of 1,001 residents (2010 Census), which includes the college students. Moreover, the Bethany location can draw business from neighboring West Liberty, less than 10 minutes away, with its much larger West Liberty University. West Liberty does not have a brewpub either.
Interested parties should contact: John Lipinski at jlipinski@bethanywv.edu or at 304-830-1308.
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7 comments on “Bethany seeks brewery, tavern restaurant”
Gary
March 15, 2018 at 7:24 pmWellsburg, Follansbee, Beech Bottom and countless other communities also don’t have brewpubs. It’s far from remarkable that Bethany doesn’t have one.
Even during the best of times, the Bison Inn only generated enough business to justify being open when College was in session. The college’s enrollment and the town’s population are both down significantly since then. From what I’m told, in the post-Bubba years, there was barely enough business to necessitate a very limited appetizer menu and a very limited beverage menu that was mostly the staples of Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite and IC light, at rock-bottom prices. Where is the steady, reliable, affluent, year-round clientele going to suddenly come from to sustain a tavern hoping to sell product at 2-3 times the price of the previous business?
Earl Keener
March 18, 2018 at 11:50 pmBethany doesn’t have a laundromat either and there’s plenty of room for a pub/inn/laundro combo.
Ed
March 19, 2018 at 8:14 amThis is why I disagree. Look at Hightower in Rayland. They are in an area that is not growing or bustling and are doing fantastic. A quality product with a ability to market outside of Bethany would pull people in and would help the town and college immensely.
Faculty
March 19, 2018 at 6:27 pmMost of Bethany’s students are underage. Selling alcohol to underage patrons is illegal! Faculty and staff wages are are poor. Unlikely that faculty and staff can afford high end bar. This bar will only work if it can pull in patrons from surrounding area with good food and drink at a reasonable price.
Ronda
March 24, 2018 at 12:13 pmGary, you took the words right out of my keyboard! Right on! And when it was Bubba’s there was certainly some sort of ‘arrangement’ so that a blind eye was turned away from the underage drinking. I don’t know that this courtesy was extended after Mr. Reid was gone. And even during its peak years the business was always closed whenever college wasn’t in session….Christmas break, summer, often. It would be nice to have a microbrew and a decent restaurant, but over the years I’ve never seen anyone try to develop locals/students clientele. (in West Liberty OR Bethany) It’s always been catered toward the students. Therefore, the locals don’t patronize these establishments. Without both groups I don’t see anything like this surviving.
Ray Janda
March 25, 2021 at 2:36 amIn it’s hey day the drinking age was 18
Charles Bockway
April 1, 2021 at 11:08 amWe do not have that information. Please try contacting Wicked Spirits Distillery directly through their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wickedspirits/