Granite Coast Tapping Into Ways To Keep Taps Flowing In Peabody

PEABODY, MA — The patio tables were mostly full and the Just Wingin' It Food Truck was firing up orders in front of Granite Coast Brewing Company on Main Street late Saturday afternoon as patrons made the most of another warm weather weekend.

The cornhole boards and Jenga blocks that once took up part of the gated patio space next to the brewery have been replaced with spaced-out tables to serve what co-owner and taproom manager Rob Dunn said has been a loyal customer base since the Peabody brewery was able to reopen from the spring coronavirus shutdown when the year-old taproom was relegated to growler fills to go.

"A lot of regulars were staying with us," Dunn told Patch. "A lot of people we were seeing getting three, four, five, six growlers filled, and we were seeing them every weekend."

Finding ways to keep those regulars coming back through the changing regulations of the spring, summer and fall has been an ongoing battle for Granite Coast and other small breweries across the state. Finding ways to convince them to come inside once the weather gets colder over the next couple of months could be their biggest battle yet.

In June, beer gardens were allowed to open for outdoor consumption. But in August, amid a surge in coronavirus cases in states such as Florida, Georgia and Texas that had recently reopened bars, Gov. Charlie Baker announced traditional bars were closed until a phase 4 of reopening that won't happen until there is a vaccine or effective virus therapy. Those bars that had the capability to operate as restaurants were also told that not only did they have to offer food, all customers now needed to order it to be able to sit down and have a beer.

"We had to get a food truck or food pop-up scheduled for any time we are open," Dunn said. "That can be a headache. For a young brewery who doesn't have a name built up yet, you might not get your emails returned. We were finding anyone and anyone to get our food trucks. If something happened, and you had a truck cancel on you, then you can't open that day.

"Then when they changed it (in August) so that everyone had to buy food it got even more complicated. There were questions about what types of food you could have — it couldn't just be desserts — and how much people had to order. Can they be shareable items? A lot of food trucks are very specific with what they serve, so what if someone is a vegetarian or a vegan and you have a meat truck? They are not going to come to you if all they can order is meat."

Through showing some local food trucks Granite Coast can bring them enough business to profit during a day in front of the brewery, and working with local catering companies that have turned to pop-up food operations with the dearth of big weddings and events because of the virus, Granite Coast has lined up vendors through the fall.

But a walk inside the taproom on Saturday hinted at the next concern that many restaurants will face as winter approaches.

While there were six tables filled on the patio, there were only two small groups in the taproom.

"You just missed the big rush," Dunn assured about 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon as he made the rounds in the brewpub, while co-owner and head brewer Jeff Marquis stood near the bar and marketing manager Amy Luckiewicz brought beer to customers outside.

About half of the German-style, sturdy tables the owners hand-built for the taproom, as well as the nine bar stools, are removed for social distancing, and Dunn questions how many of those seats that remain will be filled once customers face the choice of freezing outside, venturing indoors to dine and drink, or simply staying home.

"Depending on how everything goes with (coronavirus) numbers and cases is going to determine how comfortable everybody is coming indoors," Dunn allowed. "I know a handful of people who are comfortable, but some are afraid, and it's a valid concern.

"Our (business) model is based on selling beer and having a taproom. It's hard to get the numbers if people are afraid to come inside."

Because brewpubs charge much more proportionally for a pint in the taproom than a growler fill to go, breweries like Granite Coast rely on that on-site consumption that has now become so complicated. Granite Coast was able to partner with RiverWalk Brewing to can beer for sale on site and at some other local restaurants, but those sales don't measure up to the revenue generated when a few groups of a few people come to the taproom to knock down a few.

"The coming cold weather is going to be the big telling point for a lot of places," Dunn said. "A couple of our friends and counterparts are tiny. They can't really bring people in (and social distance), so they have tents outside. But when it gets cold what are they going to do?

"We are fortunate to have 1,000 square feet here. We have brand new air-filtration systems that are in great working order. We just need people to feel comfortable coming inside."

Granite Coast has a food-selling license, and a preparation sink in the back near the production tanks for the 2½-barrel brewhouse, so Dunn is now confident the catering companies and food trucks the Peabody is allowing to park out front will be able to operate in the taproom once things become frigid and snowy.

Main Street is lined with parking spots dedicated for pickup to help out other restaurants and coffee shops on the stretch.

"Our city wanted to work with businesses," Dunn credited. "They wanted to help small business. They came through with grants and small-business loans. They came to us before we had to go to them and said: 'We'd like to help you. What else can we do?'

"Peabody is trying to help their businesses survive."

That degree of "help" has varied throughout the state as different communities have different standards for breweries and bars that are operating as restaurants. While some are content to allow alcohol consumption with hot dogs and slices of pizza — Gov. Baker specifically said bags of popcorn and pretzels don't quite cut it at his news conference announcing stricter enforcement of the regulations in August — others insist on commercial food trucks or a fully operational, on-site kitchen.

"We are working with being consistent at least on the North Shore," Dunn said. "But you do have people telling us: 'In Waltham, you can do it this way,' 'Beverly does this,' 'Salem does this.' For us, it's: 'Peabody does this.'"

Starting this week, the state is allowing those who dine and drink inside to be seated 10 to a table. While bar seating for food is also being allowed, Dunn said the logistics of social distancing those sitting there while the staff serves from the taps behind the bar make it unlikely they will bring back the bar stools anytime soon.

Dunn said ownership and his staff greet customer when they arrive and make clear all the protocols up front so there is no confusion.

"We want to hit 'recommended and above,'" Dunn said of protocols. "We didn't want to try to do: 'It says it can be this, but can we push it and do more?' It wasn't worth it in the long run to do anything that made our clientele feel unsafe, or got us in trouble, because that would hurt us in the long run.

"We have to make sure we know everything that's going on, and everyone is communicating, because that's the only way this is all going to work."

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