New Homebrew Shop Brings Slice of 'Heavan' to Marion

Joseph Williams decided to move out of his sketchy Rodgers Park apartment in Chicago when he heard that an elementary school student shot his classmate.

This was outside Williams’ doorstep.

He moved to Iowa with his girlfriend to be closer to family, but the change of scenery also brought an opportunity.

On the move, he had an idea: why don't I take my beer brewing passion and make it into a business? That idea became , which is located at 147 Marion Blvd.

It may not seem like our sleepy city would be the best location for a business that dispenses hops, malts and DIY home-brew kits, but Williams said there’s actually a huge home brewing community in the Cedar Rapids area.

"There are a lot of home brewers in the area," he said. "I think it’s a facet of all the engineers. They have these elaborate setups — all electric, hermetic system."

And, since this is the only home-brew supply in the Cedar Rapids area, it saves home-brew enthusiasts a lot of time. 

"Previously people have had to go to Dubuque or Des Moines," he said. "So for impulse brewers, this is heaven."

This means that his "what if" idea became exactly what the market needed. Since he’s established his shop two months ago, he’s been warmly welcomed by the home-brew community, including Travis Scheidecker, brewer for the Cedar Rapids microbrewery, Third Base Brewery.

Scheidecker said he usually has to order large quantities online, which he said discourages him from making small, experimental batches of beer.

He said he agrees that Williams’ shop filled a deep hole in the home-brew market, especially since he’s seen membership in home brewing organizations more than double in recent years.

"I’m sure the home brewers are very happy," he said.

Williams said he never expected to own a home-brew store. He loves the shop, but hopes it can eventually subsist without a serious time commitment on his part because his primary passion is brewing.

But, becoming a professional brewer might not be for a while.

"I have an interest in commercial brewing," he said. "But I have a little while to go before I want people to start critiquing them."