HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Warped Wing Brewing Company is building a new taproom in Huber Heights, and city leaders are calling the addition of the rapidly growing Dayton-based brewery a major win for its budding entertainment district.

The brewery recently announced plans to build-out an existing warehouse space at 6602 Executive Blvd. in the heart of The Heights development.

Initial plans call for nearly 130 seats in the main taproom and an additional 104 in an outdoor biergarten. A planned private event space will accommodate up to 48 people.

Nick Bowman, Warped Wing’s co-founder, described Huber Heights — a city of about 44,000 residents located just north of Dayton — as a “great community of craft beer fans.” He noted that during the pandemic, Warped Wing delivered more beer via its home delivery program to Huber Heights than anywhere else.

“We are forever grateful for their support during that difficult time, and so opening this new brewery at The Heights means so much to our team,” Bowman added. “Huber Heights is definitely a community on the move and we are very excited to be a part of it.”

A rendering of the proposed Warped Wing taproom in Huber Heights, Ohio. (Photo courtesy of Warped Wing)

Beyond the entertainment areas, the Huber Heights location will also feature warehouse and production spaces. The site will have a small pilot brewing system. That type of setup allows brewers to make smaller batches of beer to supplement the production of signature beers. For Warped Wing that includes its Gamma Bomb IPA and Trotwood, a traditional-style lager.

Such systems are the ideal setup for five- to seven-keg runs of a brew, Bowman previously told Spectrum News. He said they work best for beers that require long-resting periods, like barley wine or barrel-aged imperial stouts.

Small batches don’t require the same time or financial commitments as bigger productions, meaning it allows Warped Wing brewers the chance to get more creative with their offerings, according to John Haggerty, Warped Wings’ co-founder and brew master.

“The flexibility of having multiple systems allows us more opportunity to experiment and create unique offerings exclusive to our taprooms,” he added.

Besides Warped Wing beer, the taproom will serve a variety of other beverages — wines, seltzers, hard ciders and spirits, with a focus on specialty cocktails, Bowman said. Non-alcoholic options, such as house-made sodas and mocktails, are going to be on the menu as well.

The food menu centers on smoked foods, Bowman said. The brewery offers similar items at its Springboro to Mason taprooms.

‘Showing love’ to Huber Heights community

Construction on the new Warped Wing site will begin this fall. While still very early, Bowman expects the project to wrap up by late next spring.

The site of the new taproom is in the heart of The Heights, an entertainment district Huber Heights leaders view as an up-and-coming destination for retail, dining and other amusements.

Warped Wing is developing the Huber Heights taproom alongside partners Synergy & Mills Development. The company’s president and CEO, Jerad Barnett, described the development in northern Huber Heights as the “perfect site” for the brewery’s fourth location.

Barnett stressed “fantastic visibility” from Interstate 70. The site is a 12-minute drive from Dayton International Airport and a little more than 11 miles from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

It’s about 20 minutes from Warped Wing’s flagship site in downtown Dayton.

The anchor tenant of The Heights is the Stuart & Mimi Rose Music Center, a 4,200 seat, fully covered, outdoor amphitheater. The music venue is owned by the city of Huber Heights and managed by MEMI (Music and Event Management, Inc.).

The new Warped Wing site is right next door.

“We really liked the proximity to the Rose concert venue and just the energy of the area,” Bowman said. “Development in the area along Executive Boulevard is happening slowly but surely, but there’s a lot of momentum there right now, and we just felt like Huber Heights is kind of on the rise right now.”

Warped Wing received a 15-year tax abatement to move to Huber Heights. The city expects to receive about $30,000 in payroll taxes from Warped Wing annually. (Photo courtesy of Warped Wing)

Huber Heights experienced moderate growth over the past decade-plus, according to the 2020 census. And Jeff Gore, the city’s mayor, feels businesses like Warped Wing deciding to call Huber Heights home is a big part of the reason people want to live there.

Gore, who has served as mayor since 2018, expects the new taproom to be a “major catalyst” for continued growth in the city, especially within The Heights district.

“Warped Wing is a very successful brewery, and we are thrilled to have them become part of the Huber Heights business community,” he said. “We have great residents with plenty of discretionary income who appreciate a new business, such as Warped Wing coming to the city.”

To make the project happen, the brewery received a 15-year tax abatement on the property as an incentive, amounting to about $28,000 annually, Gore said. He noted Warped Wing’s management team estimated on its application that it expects to pay about $30,000 in payroll taxes to the city every year.

“I think when other businesses see the success of Warped Wing and its willingness to locate in Huber Heights, other businesses will follow suit,” Gore said. “The secret of how great our community is, isn’t really a secret anymore and businesses are recognizing that.”

Bowman stressed that a key part of Warped Wings’ move into Huber Heights is establishing “local roots.” While there’s nothing formal in the works just yet, they’re looking at the possibility of collaborations with other breweries and neighborhood organizations.

The goal, Bowman said, is to establish an even stronger connection to a community that’s meant so much to their success.

“We really want to raise the flag of civic pride in Huber Heights,” he added. “The Huber Heights community has shown us so much love and support, especially during the pandemic. It’s really special to make the city our next site for expansion and really strengthening those relationships.”