MAY 6-12, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 21 I recently had the pleasure of spending a day in a brewery as part of a job assignment. While it didn’t involve getting to sample all the beers in stock (bummer!), it did allow me to witness the work that Carol McLeod puts in as co-owner of Hold Fast Brewing. While I spent a lot of time observing her wash kegs, load and empty many 55-pound bags of malt into a grain mill and interact with her small but devoted staff, it also provided the opportunity to check out most of the nooks and crannies of the brewery. While previously aware the brewery is housed in a two-story former fire station, I didn’t know the “Star Wars” film franchise also plays a part in the building’s decor and operation. McLeod is the reason behind that decision. A row of paintings displaying various characters in the “Star Wars” universe line one of the hallways in the back-offices area at Hold Fast. As a devoted fan of “Star Wars” since I saw the first film at a drive-in when 4 years old, I had to ask McLeod about the paintings. “I’m a huge ‘Star Wars’ nerd. I grew up on it,” she said. “Abilities First painted our [outdoor] mural, and their students as a thank you for letting them do that made me these paintings.” Additionally, McLeod chose to name the brewery’s seven brew tanks after the movie characters. On the day I was shadowing her, she was prepping “Chewie,” the nickname for Chewbacca, to brew beer in the following day. Catty-corner from that, I observed Obi-Wan was the lone tank still empty, but McLeod said that was the next one to receive attention. The tank names were a decision lost on Susan McLeod, Carol’s sister and brewery co-owner. “Susan was just like, ‘What? Really?’ I go, ‘You weren’t here that day. Sorry,’” she said with a laugh. “You know what, it’s a brewery. You’re supposed to have fun. Anybody can name it 1, 2, 3. Let’s have some fun.” While officials with Moxy Springfield Downtown told me last month that a late April or early May opening was planned for the hotel, Tim O’Reilly, CEO of O’Reilly Hospitality Management LLC, said recently the project looks to still be a couple more weeks away. “We are looking at May 17 at this point, but it may slide a little bit,” he said. A grand opening likely will follow in the late June or early July timeframe, according to officials. Infill work for the 52,000-square-foot building was in full swing when I was granted a tour of the facility by O’Reilly and Jan Vanco, the hotel’s general manager. The Moxy brand, which is from Marriott International Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR), has been on my radar since 2021 when I was on vacation in Miami and visited Moxy Miami South Beach. I was struck by the vibrant color scheme – very dazzling, even for Miami – and its unique features, such as a check-in area that doubles as a bar. It also included a rooftop pool and Mexican restaurant, where I dined and took in a pretty spectacular South Beach sunset. The thought that Springfield will soon have its own Moxy hotel is rather exciting. While there will be no on-site pool, the Queen City version, like that in Miami, will include a Moxy bar and reception area. It also will have The Eyrie, a 3,300-squarefoot rooftop bar and restaurant with views of downtown Springfield and beyond. From up there, I could see downtown’s other rooftop bar – Vantage Rooftop Lounge and Conservatory at Hotel Vandivort. While on the tour, I got to see several room configurations, which included those with king, double king and even bunk beds. O’Reilly said guests are encouraged to write on the art in the rooms, including images such as a bear wearing a crown and a woman riding a bicycle. That’s because they’re pads of contemporary art clipped to the walls, allowing the pictures to be removed and replaced with a duplicate. Forget your toothbrush or toothpaste, or need extra pillows or towels? O’Reilly pointed out every floor has “stash closets” filled with toiletries and other supplies that guests can access. That lets them avoid calling a staff member and waiting for items to be delivered to the room. Roughly 50 employees are expected to be hired at the eight-story, 98-room Moxy, Vanco said, adding there are no concerns regarding available parking on-site. He said the hotel has 130 parking spots, and for busy event nights, the hotel plans to work with neighbors to allow guests to access additional parking. Moxy plans to bring unique touches to Springfield’s hotel scene AS I COMPILE OUR PUBLICATION’S Open for Business section, there’s frequently some interesting details that don’t make the final cut. Here’s a couple recent examples: Classics Pizza Co. The food vendor lineup has been rapidly rotating in recent months at 14 Mill Market in Nixa. New options have replaced four of the 10 vendors who were part of the roster when the food hall opened. The fourth new entry, Uptown Hog, is targeting a mid-May launch. Kyler Peace and his sister, Carrington Shockley, own two of the 14 Mill Market eateries, Sno Biz and Classics Pizza Co. The latter opened in February with a menu of around a dozen specialty pizzas, hot and cold sub sandwiches and baked pastas. In recognition of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, dubbed March Madness, the shop recently held a Pizza Madness bracket to determine customers’ favorite. Receiving the most votes was hot honey pepperoni over barbecue chicken. Not that anyone’s asking, but I concur with the winning choice. I tried that combo in London last year at Pizza Pilgrims and it was love at first bite, if I may use such a cheesy cliche. Hidden Grounds Coffee House Coffee was the motivator for MacKenzie Toomey to take the leap into business ownership for the first time, choosing to open Hidden Grounds LLC in March at The Fairbanks in north Springfield. It’s certainly a professional pivot for Toomey, whose work experience includes nearly five years as director of operations for U.S. Baseball League LLC and over a year as youth programming director at Betty & Bobby Allison Sports Town. She told me in February she intended to file paperwork for the venture to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the intent of allowing all individuals and businesses participating in its membership program to have a tax-deductible option. Toomey said it’s one way she’s trying to connect the community “one cup at a time.” OPEN FOR BUSINESS EXTRAS by Mike Cullinan ON THE JOB Workforce, new business and marijuana coverage and analysis Contact Mike Cullinan ☎ 417-616-5851 mcullinan@sbj.net Five documentaries every entrepreneur should watch, according to Forbes: In a galaxy far, far away Wall art that can be written on and replaced is part of the options in rooms at Moxy Springfield Downtown. SBJ FILE “Chewie,” inspired by Chewbacca from the “Star Wars” films, is among seven brew tanks named after characters from the franchise at Hold Fast Brewing.
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