By Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt
(This story was updated because an earlier version contained an inaccuracy.)
Station 1 Brewing in Suamico is now brewing up more than beer. The business has added Company Coffee, a café, to become two businesses in one location.
The brewery opened in 2021 in the village’s old fire station, 1745 Riverside Drive, after being purchased by a team that included five families. Peter App, one of the owners, was designated as the operating manager and only full-time employee. He has overseen a business that has a dual mission.
“I wanted to be part of a place where people could gather and create moments that matter,” App said. “It was during the pandemic when we were separate and isolated and I wanted to do something that would bring people back together.”
Planning started in 2020 during the pandemic. App, with 23 years of experience in church ministry, had left that career for a job in commercial construction. He enjoyed that job, but while having breakfast with a friend, confided that he had a dream to open a brewery. That friend suggested that he inquire about the fire station that was being vacated as the village moved into a new, larger facility.
App said, “I took that advice and called the village administrator. That started two years of conversations.”
The talks were positive, and he and the other investors purchased the building. With his experience in construction, App was able to navigate renovations. That meant adding a sprinkler system, bringing the bathrooms to code, and adding a patio with a beer garden.
When the project was completed and they opened, the result was a brewery and taproom with seating for up to 231 (including the beer garden). The brewhouse doubled as an event venue with reservations accepted for groups of 20 to 100. Tables and chairs were added along with an area to serve pizza and other food and snacks. (Customers are also allowed to bring in food from surrounding restaurants.)
They also had all of the necessary equipment to brew their own selection of beers. The one thing they didn’t have, however, was their own selection of beer.
But App was busy working on it and learning how to become a brewer. He had been a home brewer for a dozen years, but needed training to make larger volumes of craft beer. For that he enrolled at the Siebel Institute in Chicago. The local brewing community, he said, was also very supportive when he had questions.
“It is a very collaborative community. Dave Oldenburg, who was the brewer at (Titletown Brewing), was a great mentor,” Apps said.
For the practical pieces of learning how to run a business and write a business plan, he worked with David Stauffacher, a business adviser with the Small Business Development Center at UW-Green Bay, part of the SBA and a partner of SCORE.
App said, “I knew that if I was going to start a business, I needed to have the discipline to write a business plan to keep me on track. Dave was very helpful and encouraging; it was a fantastic program and I would recommend it to anyone who plans to start a business.”
He continues to refer to the plan as the business grows. His skill as a brewer is now proven and there are typically between six and nine varieties of craft beer available on tap. App said that brewing and naming beer has been fun. The other “founder families” have taken part and conjured up their own founder brews.
The brews often have a story. The Dynamite River Blonde gets its name from a legend that townsfolk, back in the day, tried to re-route the Suamico River through downtown using a few sticks of dynamite and some liquid courage.
“Say cheers to their efforts with our Kolsch-style ale – clean and fresh with a subtle fruit flavor,” the menu promotes.
Others have also found their way on and then off the list. There have been a variety of ales, IPAs, stouts, and seasonal flavors.
That same nod to variety can be found in Company Coffee, the new café.
App said, “We started talking about coffee two to three years ago. Coffee represents a continuing of the mission we’re on. Like beer, coffee gathers people together to meet friends and family and create a moment that matters.”
The beans come from Stone Creek Coffee, a Milwaukee roaster. Like the craft beer, they have a wide assortment of roasts from light to dark. But much of the magic comes from the extensive drink menu and skill of the baristas.
“I was trained in making the drinks, but it’s been a challenge for me,” App said. “Being a barista is an art and science that requires coffee, a lot of art, and talent. I have a coffee shop manager and a team that run without me.”
Others have also found their way on and then off the list. There have been a variety of ales, IPAs, stouts, and seasonal flavors.
That same nod to variety can be found in Company Coffee, the new café.
App said, “We started talking about coffee two to three years ago. Coffee represents a continuing of the mission we’re on. Like beer, coffee gathers people together to meet friends and family and create a moment that matters.”
The beans come from Stone Creek Coffee, a Milwaukee roaster. Like the craft beer, they have a wide assortment of roasts from light to dark. But much of the magic comes from the extensive drink menu and skill of the baristas.
“I was trained in making the drinks, but it’s been a challenge for me,” App said. “Being a barista is an art and science that requires coffee, a lot of art, and talent. I have a coffee shop manager and a team that run without me.”
The drink menu includes lattes, espressos, drip coffees, smoothies and other familiar beverages. A breakfast and snack menu features egg sandwiches, egg bites, bakery, and gluten-free options. The Stone Creek Coffee beans are also sold.
App said the café takes about one-third of the space in the building, and minimal changes were needed in the footprint to make it work.
He said, “We had the space and redid part of the bar top to add more counter for the espresso and coffee machines and grinders. It is the perfect spot to relax, catch up with friends, or dive into a good book.”
The atmosphere is inviting with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and a friendly team, he said. The hours are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
But where the two businesses are finding a niche is in their mission. It is unusual to find a business that posts a section called Our Creed on its website. App’s daughter Jordyn wrote it after listening to the owners’ goals. It outlines their commitment to developing an environment and culture of acceptance; where others can nurture meaningful relationships.
It concludes, “We dedicate ourselves to serving the people of this community with unique, personal and restorative experiences of connection and belonging that leave them longing to return to us.”
With App reporting that sales have grown year over year since opening, it appears that they are succeeding in their mission. In the process, he and the other owners are challenged to be a business that is known for serving others well.
“Nothing about my personality screams, ‘Take a risk and expose yourself to new things,’” he said. “But I wanted to make a difference and I love to learn. What I have learned is that there is so much to learn.”
However, he approaches those lessons, the good and hard, with the inspiration of a favorite quote by author Seth Godin who said, “No one learns to ride a bike from a manual. You learn by doing, by falling, and by getting back on and trying again.”
Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.
Source: Station 1 Brewing Company in Suamico is now also brewing up coffee