USA, NC: Construction starts on Fiddlln’ Fish Brewery Co. site in Winston-Salem

Construction on a new downtown Winston-Salem brewery began this week in a former tobacco warehouse on Trade Street, the Triad Business Journal reported on February 22.

Cousins Stuart Barnhart and David Ashe said they expect construction of their Fiddlln’ Fish Brewery Co. at 772 Trade St. NW to take about 4 1/2 months. The renovation, which will pair the brick shell of the Big Winston Warehouse with an new industrial-type interior, is expected to seat 100 customers inside and 30 on an adjoining patio.

The 6,500-square foot facility will include a 2,700-square-foot taproom with 20-foot ceilings looking through large industrial windows into the 1,800-square-foot production area. Barnhart and Ashe are leasing the land. They obtained a building permit on Feb. 13 for an estimated $722,000 in renovations.

The brewery shares a loading dock with neighbor Broad Branch Distillery. Black Mountain Chocolate Factory & Kitchen sits at the opposite end of the same retail complex.

Barnhart and Ashe obtained large industrial windows from a Winston-Salem building and 105-year-old heart pine for the counter in the taproom. Cable spools will make up some of the tables. They’ve also purchased some roll-up, glass doors.

“We want to be true to the history of the building,” Ashe said. “We’re going to try to use as much reclaimed stuff from Winston-Salem as possible,” Barnhart added.

The cousins said they won’t name a target opening date because that will depend on how quickly they obtain state and federal permits. But they have a Facebook page that has provided some progress updates.

Barnhart, a 29-year-old former financial analyst, grew up in a loft in downtown Winston-Salem, and always wanted to be part of the growing downtown business scene. He saw his love of beer making, which he has dabbled in the last six years, as an opportunity.

“It was a hobby that turned into an obsession,” Barnhart said. “And I always wanted to be an entrepreneur.”

Barnhart reached out to his cousin, who is only a few weeks younger, to join him in the venture. Ashe, a Richmond, Va., native, has worked in the luxury hospitality industry in Park City, Utah. Fiddlin’ Fish, they said, expresses their Blue Ridge Mountain heritage and love of the outdoors.

“We’re doing this because we both love beer,” Ashe said. “We have divergent, but complementary skill sets.”

Barnhart will be the brewmaster and handle the production responsibilities. Ashe will manage the taproom and patio.

They said they expect to open with “12 to 16” taps with about six of them serving beer brewed on the premises. The partners are currently testing different brews made in the basement of Barnhart’s home. Some wine choices will also be available.

Fiddling’ Fish will not serve food, but electric hookups will be available for food trucks. The cousins plan to offer live music on some nights. Televisions will be visible from most seats.

Barnhart and Ashe said they will have to-go options with growlers. But they don’t expect any outside sales in the near future.

“In the short-term, we’re very taproom-centric,” Barnhart said. “As we expand, we could have some outside distribution.”

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