Great River Brewery: ‘Can Do’ Effort in Resurrecting Business
Story and Photos by Jonathan Turner
Loan Product: Small Business Loan
Loan Product: Small Business Loan
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Great River Brewery in downtown Davenport, Iowa, had firmly established itself in the craft-beer scene during its 10 years of operation, before facing an unexpected closure in April 2019 due to flooding from the Mississippi River. The brewery, located at 332 E. 2nd St., Davenport, was set to introduce new pizza to its menu when the flood forced it to close. After five years of resilience and determination, Great River Brewery successfully reopened with the help of Bridge Investment Community Development Corporation.
Owner Scott Florence, undeterred by the setback, rallied 22 investors to fund the purchase and renovation of the property. He learned about Bridge Investment through the Downtown Davenport Partnership, and had known Bridge Investment’s executive director Brian Hollenback from Florence’s earlier work with Nancy’s Pies in Rock Island. Florence credits Hollenback’s in-depth financial expertise for making the project possible. “They understand what businesses are looking for,” he says of Bridge. “Starting a business – I liken it to an ember, you try to get it going.” When Florence acquired the GRB property, it lacked brewing equipment. Renovations started in December 2023, in the historic 5,500-square-foot building which dates back to 1936 and housed a longtime Goodyear Tire and auto-body shop. Part of the renovations transformed the former brewing floor into a 100-seat restaurant, featuring pizza, craft beer and other offerings. Florence and master brewer Paul Krutzfeldt saw the opportunity to innovate and rebuild. Krutzfeldt, who opened the original brewery in Iowa City in 2004 before relocating to Davenport in 2009, faced the loss of most equipment during the 2019 flood. Most everything got washed away, with some usable equipment sold off. With the help of Bridge Investment, they acquired all new brewing and canning equipment, added three months after opening. The smaller-scale setup now reflects the evolving craft beer industry, which values variety over mass production. “It’s not so much about selling two or three flagship beers anymore, and selling lots of ‘em. It’s more the variety,” he says. The Great River canning operation will include sodas, cold brew coffee, and other offerings. “You could do a pallet of cans (100 cases) a day. It’s about growing our market,” Krutzfeldt says of the canning equipment.In addition to selling to retail locations, like grocery stores, GRB will sell the cans out of its Davenport brewery. “We want to sell as much out of here as we can,” he says. They have six full-time equivalent employees. In addition to on-site dining, the business has expanded its offerings to include take-home options. Their goal is to continue growing the business by offering diverse products and exploring potential revenue streams like home delivery and subscription services. “This allows us to hit our model that we talked about from the beginning,” Krutzfeldt says of canning. “The idea was not just to open a taproom and serve beer. That’s great, but the model is to have several baskets of revenue opportunity.” Krutzfeldt asked Florence to partner on the restaurant feature. Florence’s business experience includes owning Mama Bosso Pizza since 2012 and Streets of Italy since 2013. He partnered with Krutzfeldt to bring food into GRB , recognizing that offering food could help boost revenue. Great River Brewery uses pizza dough from Mama Bosso’s and its pizza is available at retail locations along side GRB’s canned beverages. Florence reflects on the community’s support and excitement over the business reopening. Many loyal customers have returned, amazed at the transformation. “I’d say the most gratifying piece is to see people come back and say they never thought we’d reopen,” Florence says. The formal grand opening was in early June 2024, and Krutzfeldt is happy with the public’s reception. The current brewing room had been an extension of the old bar, the can line, a cooler, storage, and planned wood-fired pizza storefront. The opening day for that was the day of the flood. GRB occasionally hosts live music and they enjoy being right across the street from the relatively new indie movie theater, called The Last Picture House. The Raccoon Motel, Drawing Room, and Mississippi River Distilling lounge are also close on the block. Florence emphasizes the resilience it took to bring the brewery back after such a major setback and a long transition. With community support and the right financial tools, Great River Brewery is once again a cornerstone of downtown Davenport’s business landscape. “We’re downtown and it makes for a better destination,” Krutzfeldt says. For more information on the brewery, visit https://greatriver.beer/. |
“They understand what businesses are looking for. Starting a business – I liken it to an ember, you try to get it going.” - Scott Florence, speaking of Bridge Investment Community Development Corporation 
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“I’d say the most gratifying piece is to see people come back and say they never thought we’d reopen."
