It’s all systems go for Grist House Craft Brewery to launch a major expansion.
The Millvale-based business recently closed on a 55,000-square-foot building in Collier Township that, during the Cold War, served as a Nike Missile Command Center. The historic site will house the brewery’s main production, packaging line and barrel-aging facility, a taproom and a retail space.
The brewery’s Sherman Street location, which has been home to Grist House since March 2014, will remain open and continue to operate a pilot brewing system.
While no timetable has been announced for the debut of the Collier behemoth, Marketing Manager Bailey Allegretti says barrel-aging and renovations are already underway.
Constructed in 1957 on one of the highest points in Allegheny County, the building became an operational Missile Command Center known as PI-62 in 1960. Much of the original equipment is gone, but Grist House plans to incorporate some left behind relics into its decor.
Brian Eaton and Kyle Mientkiewicz, owners of Grist House, found the building more than a year ago and officially acquired the property in June.
“This is one of those, ‘It just fell into our laps’ sort of stories,” Allegretti says. “Once they saw this building, it was all over.”
Allegretti hinted that the Collier site will boast dog-friendly areas like the Millvale location, but didn’t reveal any full plans. No word on whether the new HQ will rely on food trucks or have its own kitchen.
“We really want this to be a destination brewery, a full experience,” Allegretti says. “There is a lot in the works that I can’t talk about yet, but we have plans to do something truly unique here.”
