Re-opening of brewery will help Hartford's 'buzz and energy'
There was celebration as well as beer on tap at City Steam Brewery & Cafe as the iconic craft beer business in the heart of downtown Hartford re-opened after a flood shut it down for about four months.
The brewery/cafe at 942 Main St. had been closed since early February when a pipe froze and burst, causing major flooding damage.
City Steam, open for 25 years, is one of Connecticut’s first craft breweries.
The event that included a grand reopening ribbon-cutting was marked by a gathering of city officials, including Mayor Luke Bronin, Julio Concepcion, executive director of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, brewery owner Jay Dumond and manager Chris Leonard.
“City Steam is a vibrant and iconic establishment at the heart of Hartford,” Concepcion said earlier in the day. “We couldn’t be more excited about their grand reopening, bringing back the buzz and energy to their historic Main Street location.”
The city collaborated with the business by providing a $100,000 grant from the Hartford’s Small Business Investment Fund to “ensure both their immediate and long-term success,” Concepcion said.
Owner Dumond, who owns several businesses in Hartford, said the grants are wonderful – and if only there had been something like that along the way for emergencies in his earlier business journey.
“The money truly is a blessing for everybody,” he said. He said city officials saw “It was going to take monumental effort,” to get our doors open.
City Steam in downtown Hartford on Wednesday May 31, 2023. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
City Steam in downtown Hartford on Wednesday May 31, 2023. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
City Steam in downtown Hartford on Wednesday May 31, 2023. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
Bronin said the city is “working hard to help activate empty spaces,” but, “We’re not doing our job if we let a place like City Steam fail.”
He said the business is an important part of bringing life, energy, vitality and economic activity to downtown Hartford. Bronin said the brewery/cafe is around the corner from Pratt Street and a block away from the Yard Goats baseball park.
“The place looks amazing,” manager Leonard said.
The business has new lights, new floors, new paint and new equipment in the comedy club portion and more.
Leonard was only a few blocks away at home, he said, when he got the call from a neighboring Marriott that first noticed the water rushing.
The Fire Department responded immediately and in real group effort everyone removed furniture and other items, Leonard said.
“We’re back, baby! City Steamers are back,” Leonard said. “We got a real tune up.”
The brewery/cafe offers numerous craft beers – among the most popular, Facebook suggests, is “Naughty Nurse IPA.”
In a Facebook Post with the heading, “We Are Baaack” the brewery advertises: it has the largest selection of banquet rooms in downtown Hartford, a pool and game room, outdoor beer garden, live comedy Friday and Saturday; karaoke Thursday, trivia and prizes Wednesday, happy hour 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and until 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
Before officials went inside for a celebratory beverage on the house, Dumond noted the loyalty of employees, most of whom returned once renovations were complete.
Source: Hartford Courant
