USA, TX: Bare Arms Brewery to open new location in Waco

Bare Arms Brewing, located just off the traffic circle on La Salle Avenue, is not only a local favorite, but also the oldest operating brewery in Waco, KWTX.com reported on September 12.

Having been around since 2015, the owners shocked many when they announced this past Friday, September 6 that the brewery would be closing its doors.

However, just a few days later they shared that it’s because they’re opening a brand new location just a few minutes down the road in Robinson.

Owner Kevin Yackley says he and his wife, Jill King, came to Waco in 2017 with the dream to build their own brewery, which is how they came across Bare Arms Brewing.

“The owners of bear arms came to me and asked if I wanted to buy rather than build, and the rest is history,” he shared.

They officially took over back in 2020, but it didn’t take long for them to outgrow the building, which was built back in the 1960s.

Once Yackley and his wife realized they would need to relocate, they saw an opportunity to do what they had originally set out to do.

“We get a chance to, now after five years of experience as a commercial brewer, get to go build our own basically dream brewery,” he said.

That’s when Jimmy Banks, a broker and developer with the Triliji group, came in.

“A few years ago we purchased 27 acres on loop 340, highway 6 at highway 77 in Robinson Texas,” Banks explained, “and in our business we develop mixed use developments for restaurant use, office, retail, that kind of thing.”

He says Bare Arms Brewery was exactly what they were looking for, working with the owners to help design their new location.

“We kind of had a vision for some restaurants and a beer garden type concept to offer indoor, outdoor eating and some light entertainment,” Banks said.

Robinson’s Mayor Bert Echterling agrees that the area they’ve chosen is the perfect spot for a venue like this.

“Encompass health is already there, and a couple other things are in the works, and we’re really excited about the growth in that area of Robinson,” he said.

And Bare Arms Brewing will only help with that growth.

According to Mayor Echterling, “the biggest benefit is going to be the asset it provides to the community. There are people traveling outside of our community now to go to establishments similar to this.”

As a Robinson resident himself, Yackley says he couldn’t be more excited.

“We get to bring our craft basically to our own town and help Robinson to grow,” Yackley shared.

The anticipated construction timeline for this new location is about six months, so they’re hoping to open in January 2025.

But their current location will continue business as usual until December 31st, when their lease is officially up.

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