HONESDALE -- Even before the pints are poured and the meals served, the work to brew beer and prepare food at Here & Now Brewing Company is a round-the-clock operation.
Here & Now opened its doors this summer on Main Street in Honesdale. It was the culmination of a whole lot of planning.
"When I found the building, it was in horrible shape. The roof had been leaking for a very long time," said Allaina Propst.
Propst is one of the driving forces behind the operation.
At one time, the building was a Woolworth's Five And Dime and then a pharmacy. Now, it's a brewery and restaurant while keeping much of the original décor, including a tin ceiling.
"We were building it for at least three years, saws laying around, and all of sudden it took us a week. Within a week, there were bar stools in," said Propst.
Friday night couples pulled up to the bar. They noticed the transformation that's taken place at Here & Now.
"This is exactly what Honesdale needed. We've arrived," said Nancy Eisele of Honesdale.
"I like the old-fashioned look to it. It's a great place for us to gather," said Mark Eisele, Honesdale.
In the kitchen, Chef Ben Cooper and his team churn out pizzas and other dishes made with local ingredients. A way Cooper says Here & Now can support the farms and farmers.
"We love to not only provide great food. We like to support other local businesses. One of the local businesses is agriculture," said Cooper.
A lot of what goes into the beer is locally sourced. Karl Schloesser has been busy brewing pale ales, saisons, and more. Hoppy to give this building a new purpose.
"So far we haven't been able to stop brewing because we have the good problem of people wanting our beer," said Schloesser.