Emporia’s popular brewery and restaurant Radius Brewing is expanding its operations soon.
Radius recently acquired a second building where it is looking to move a large portion of its brewing operations in the coming months. The new location at 17 West Fourth formerly served as the home of Spic-N-Span cleaners.
Radius co-owner Chad Swift, a guest of KVOE’s Newsmaker Two segment Tuesday, says this is a project that has been in the works for several years, however, it was delayed slightly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike most businesses in recent months, Swift says they have not been heavily affected by supply costs and shortages.
According to Swift and fellow co-owner Jeremy Johns, the expansion will likely see Radius brewing five times more beer than they currently do at their restaurant location at 610 Merchant. Johns says in addition to brewing the classic beer that local residents have grown accustomed to, the expansion will also see Radius “spreading its wings” and trying new recipes.
The first phase of renovation work and the acquisition of the new building is being funded by a community development block (CDBG) grant with the city of Emporia acting as a passthrough for funds. Swift says the expansion will be for brewery operations only and there will be no kitchen included with the new location.
A timeline for the renovation is not available, however, Swift and Johns say they’re hoping to begin work “very soon.”
