Opening Roundhouse Brewery in Brainerd is an exciting venture for three Staples natives who share a similar history as well as a love of fine beer. Pictured above, from left are Chuck Martin, Mark Lelwica and Dan Meyer, now all of Brainerd. The brewery, located at 1551 Northern Pacific Rd. in Brainerd, officially opened April 28.

Staples natives open Roundhouse Brewery

“We’re very excited about this venture,” said Dan, who brings a wealth of business knowledge to the table.

Once upon a time they were pals, growing up in the railroad town of Staples, dreaming of the day they would be old enough to enter Lefty’s Bar.

Now, years after graduating from high school and going their separate ways, Chuck Martin, Dan Meyer and Mark Lelwica (all of legal age) have reunited to open Roundhouse Brewery in Brainerd. 

They officially opened April 27, with a grand opening celebration planned for late May or early June. So far, a number of craft beers are on the menu, including Golden Spike IPA, Cowcatcher Ale, Spike Driver Oatmeal Stout and Crow Wing Cream Ale. 

According to information found at their website, “At Roundhouse Brewery, we craft superior beers in a uniquely historic setting. Starting with the highest quality ingredients and a passion for the pursuit of an exceptional pint – we aim to brew and distribute unsurpassed beer to the Brainerd lakes area and beyond. We believe deeply in this community and strive to provide not only a great beer but an enjoyable experience. We want this experience to allow our guests to connect with our brewing methods, the history of this railroad town and each other.”

Roundhouse Brewery is located at 1551 Northern Pacific Rd., in the Clock Tower of the Northern Pacific Center. It is currently open on Thursdays, from 4 - 8 p.m.; and on Fridays and Saturdays, from 3 - 10 p.m.

“We’re very excited about this venture,” said Dan, who brings a wealth of business knowledge to the table. A 1981 graduate of Staples High School, Dan went on to earn a master’s degree in business and is the past CEO of Atomic Learning, Inc., a company he helped launch. Since retiring, he spent some time traveling with his family and now has been devoting his energy to the start up of Roundhouse Brewery.

Dan grew up in the same rural neighborhood as Martin and Lelwica, near the Warner Road. Dan’s mother, Marge Meyer, recalled that the “boys” were always doing something together when they were younger. “I think they were all in 4-H, too.” 

Chuck also graduated from SHS in 1981, and would go on to work as a chemistry teacher and in the pharmaceutical industry before getting into home brewing over eight years ago. He is the brewmaster at Roundhouse.

Mark, who serves as president of the Brainerd brewery, was part of the first class to graduate from Staples Motley High School in 1989. He initially planned to enter the medical field, but pursued other work instead. For the past 15 years, he has been a stay-at-home dad. A former high school swimming champ, Mark’s business cohorts joked that the sport prepared him for the liquid-based business he’s currently in.

The timing seemed right for all three of them to start this new chapter in their lives. 

“Mark and I had been talking about the possibility of opening a brewery, but we needed a brewer,” Dan said. “About a year and a half ago, I stopped by to visit Chuck in Ohio, where he was brewing.”

Would Chuck be interested in being a part of this venture?

“I had been wanting to move back to Minnesota,” Chuck said, adding that since high school, he had lived in at least five other states, including Michigan, Indiana, Texas, Montana and Ohio. He wasn’t so sure if his wife, Pam, was as excited for a move north. “The first time she ever visited Staples it was 20 degrees below zero in November. She said to me, ‘I love you, but we will never, ever live in Minnesota.’”

Chuck laughed and added, “The moral of the story is, never say ‘never.’”

After hearing more about the plans for Roundhouse Brewery and visiting the proposed site, it didn’t take long for Pam (as well as Dan’s wife, Sue; and Mark’s wife, Amy) to jump on board as well.

“It’s a beautiful space, with a good vibe,” Mark said, noting that the section of warehouse they are in was built in 1870, boasts  of 4,200 sq. ft., high ceilings and solid brick walls. 

“We also liked that there’s an event space across the road, which we felt would help bring a lot of visibility to something like a brewery,” he added.

Dan went on to say that the Northern Pacific Center had formerly been industrial, but that the landlord was wanting to make it a destination place. “Our timing (to build a brewery) really matched up with their vision.”

Plans to make Roundhouse Brewery a reality began in earnest last summer. Approval was needed from the Brainerd City Council, meetings with investors took place; and some demolition was needed to update the building’s infrastructure. This included putting in new electric, plumbing, air-conditioning and heating.

“We had to make sure we were licensed at the local, state and federal levels,” Mark said.

Care has been taken to maintain the historical feel of the building. A number of black and white photos of railroad scenes, donated by the Brainerd Historical Society, have been enlarged and hang on the walls. 

Reminders of their Staples roots are also evident at Roundhouse Brewery. The long tables were hand-constructed of rough hewn timber taken from land owned by Dan’s and Mark’s dads. “We’ve even got some bar stools here  from Lefty’s,” Dan said.

It’s a great place to stop by after work to connect with friends and family. There’s a cribbage board available  and customers are welcome to bring in food, or have a pizza delivered while they enjoy one of Chuck’s recipes.

“We look forward to creating an atmosphere of laughter and enjoyment, a place where deep friendships are made,” Dan said.

Although it’s Dan, Mark and Chuck who are primarily involved with the brewery, Dan noted that there are seven other people invested in it. In addition, Scott Engelstad has been instrumental in helping behind the scenes, especially in keeping their website up to date.

“It’s been such a great experience for us already and we hope that it will be a positive, enjoyable experience for everyone who stops by,” Mark said. “It’s really exciting to share something you’ve created with your area and town.”

For more information about Roundhouse Brewery, visit their website at www.roundhousebrew.com, call 218-454-BREW or email info@roundhousebrew.com.

Timing was right to start new chapter

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