Diamond Bear Brewing Co. of Little Rock announced today its intent to buy a 3-acre piece of land in North Little Rock from the city for $175,000 and build its new brewery there.
The tract is located off Pike Avenue west of River Road and south of the new Pike Avenue roundabout, according to a press release.
The project should take between six months and a year to complete, pending approval of the sale by the North Little Rock City Council, which is scheduled to consider the deal at its April 25 meeting.
"This is the best overall location we’ve found for our brewery and the community," owner Russ Melton said in the release.
Diamond Bear has outgrown its current 7,000-SF space on Cross Street in Little Rock, and plans to expand to 20,000 SF and from four employees to 20, Melton said in the news release.
Ultimately, the property will be suitable for another expansion to 60,000 SF and 70 employees, he said.
"This location will allow us excellent proximity to our distributors and greater accessibility as a tourist destination for central Arkansas," Melton said.
The expansion plans include a larger tap room, a small restaurant, a deck overlooking the river and a special events room, according to the company. The brewery will offer tours on Saturdays and Sundays and will be available for rental.
Diamond Bear and the North Little Rock Economic Development Corp. worked on the project with the city, real estate company Flake & Kelley Commercial and the architecture firm Witsell Evans & Rasco.
Arkansas Business reported earlier Monday about the equipment issues that caused a recent beer shortage at Diamond Bear.
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