Triple Bottom Brewing has finally found a home at the intersection of 9th and Spring Garden Streets in the Spring Arts District neighborhood of Philadelphia.
After having an original brewery location fall through about a year ago, the team didn’t want to mess around with announcing any possible plans until the ink was dry this time. Tess Hart, TBB’s CEO, says, “We knew we needed to be practical about our space while still sticking to our mission.” So when the team’s realtor found a vacant spot on Spring Garden St., they knew it was perfect for TBB’s needs and ultimate goals.
Hart expands on these goals by adding, “We are a beer destination that also happens to be really dedicated to social justice and including the community in everything we do.”
Built in the early 1900’s, Triple Bottom Brewery’s space was originally offices of the Reading Railroad, with a YMCA for railroad workers and rooms dedicated to immigrants to allow them to connect with resources or friends and family when they arrived in the states. Since then, the space has been a warehouse, a textile factory and, most recently, artists’ studios.
The building is still attached to raised tracks, which means Triple Bottom Brewery could eventually become part of Phase 2 of the Rail Park. Talk about foot traffic! Hart notes, “Our presence will create more reasons for people to come into this part of the city. It’s just a really good thing for the neighborhood.” The more the merrier, right?
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As far as what Hart and her team see for their new space, she says, “We have ideas about what we want to do. We’ve completely gutted the space, so we have the basic floor plan at this point. We are really looking to engage our neighbors and see how they might want to use the space and maybe even add in what gaps are missing in the community. Ultimately, we’re thinking about a coffee shop vibe: Comfortable, bright and a place to be together and be happy.”
The brewery project also has some components that stem from its social justice mission.
Hart and her husband Bill, the brewery’s chief marketing officer, have always been passionate about social justice. After graduating from college, they worked in community development in Washington D.C., and then attended grad school to see how they could be even more impactful in their communities. Hart says, “I always wanted to end up back in Philly and be a part of expanding a community. So we decided to pair our social justice passions with our brewing passions. We always think about breweries as community centers. And this has always been a part of our model.”
And while the team has partnered with Project HOME and PowerCorps PHL, and the brewery will provide jobs for people who have faced barriers to employment, the effort goes beyond just getting people on the payroll. Social justice will extend through every facet of the business.
Not only will Triple Bottom Brewery support its team via a living wage, it will will dive deep into professional development. Technical skills will be learned by working in the brewery and cleaning the equipment, talking about beer, pouring beer and practicing customer service skills. And then there will also be behavioral skills or soft skills to learn: Working with peers, punctuality, and so on. Hart and her team know not everyone has had the opportunity to learn these skills during their lifetimes.
There even will be an employee-only space. “We are a business. Our team will be working the hours they need to work, but we want them to know they have a space of their own during breaks or after work,” says Hart. In this space, employees will be able to use a washer and dryer, take showers, cook food, access email on a few computers or just hang out and relax.
“We’ve learned a lot through other company’s workforce models, and we’re excited to join them and do it in a way that also allows us to build a really strong business,” Tess adds.
Rounding out the team will be Kyle Carney, a brewer with experience from Stone and Weyerbacher. Carney will be brewing on a 10-barrel system on site. Beers will be served at the taproom, along with a small menu of food, as the team is building in a very small kitchen. Some food will be available on site, though Hart says she would love to be able to have people bring in food as well, as there’s so much great existing food in the area.
“We have a really great product to share with people and we’re excited to finally open our doors and hope you will feel extra-good about going to Triple Bottom Brewery to hang out while supporting our community.”
Once open, find Triple Bottom Brewing at 915 Spring Garden St. in Philadelphia.
- Photos: Triple Bottom Brewery
