Marietta Business Spotlight: Schoolhouse Brewing
As businesses begin to re-open, it is now more important than ever to recognize and support our small businesses. With that, this month, our spotlight is on Schoolhouse Brewing, a brewery that offers a new beer at almost every visit, home brewing equipment for novice brewers, free beer recipes, and in their words, a place “where education meets recess.”
The Beginning
Fittingly, Schoolhouse Brewing was founded by educators. It’s co-owners and co-brewers, Thomas Monti and Justin Waller, met and became friends during their tenure as middle school science teachers at Marietta Middle School. After more than a decade in the classroom, Thomas left formal education in 2014 to open a boutique, craft beer bottle shop in Marietta. Thomas found success, not only in selling crowlers of unique beers and home brewing equipment, but also by incorporating his skillsets from his previous career to teach locals how to brew, using his own recipes. His enthusiasm for teaching and brewing didn’t stop there; he also began teaching a “How to Brew” course at the local university, Kennesaw State University. While Thomas was beginning his new career, Justin began developing and fostering his passion for craft beer and brewing, beginning when his wife purchased home brewing equipment for him as a Father’s Day gift.
After seeing the success of Thomas’s bottle shop and anticipating Senate Bill-85 changing Georgia’s alcohol laws, the duo began making plans to open their own brewery. After considerable research, they decided that to stand out from the crowd, they would not have a flag ship beer like most other breweries. Instead, their strategy was to do the exact opposite, never brew the same beer twice! Justin explained that this model allows them to be nimble and flexible, as well as keeps them and their patrons from getting their minds and palates locked into monotony.
Setting the Scene
Upon deciding to open a brewery together, Thomas and Justin spent a full year looking for the right location. With the desire to open in Marietta, the team hopped on an available space in a large, business park off Franklin Gateway. Just like their business model, Thomas and Justin have managed to make their space very unique. In keeping with their brand, they transformed what was seemingly a bland office suite into an eccentric playground for adults, maintaining a schoolhouse theme throughout. Through help from the community, a great contractor, and the spouse of a business partner, the built-out brewery has everything from donated globes and school trinkets, school bus seats and wall décor, and eclectic light fixtures, to fun rooms like the “Teacher’s Lounge” to engage your senses. In addition to their large taproom, and possibly even more important, they have an outdoor space with an abundance of seating and games for brewery-goers. Schoolhouse Brewing is definitely a space worth experiencing!
Why Marietta?
When discussing why they chose Marietta, Justin said that there were many draws. While the location within the business park, Marietta’s brewery-friendly legislation, and Thomas’s previous success with his Marietta bottle shop were major factors, Justin said a large part of their decision was that the Marietta community felt like home. Justin attributes their success to the strong ties they have with the Marietta community, both individuals and other businesses.
One Stop Shop for Libations and Learning
Even the least refined palate can recognize that Schoolhouse Brewing is steeped in its owners’ love for craft beer and infused with their teaching spirit. Schoolhouse Brewing not only offers incredible beer and home brewing equipment, but also complimentary in-house beer recipes and expert advice. You can visit Schoolhouse Brewing at 840 Franklin Ct Suite 100 in Marietta to experience one-of-a-kind beer in their socially distanced taproom and outdoor beer garden.