Braxton’s Union Commons development is returning the brewery to its roots.
In 2015, brothers Jake and Evan Rouse, along with their father, Greg, originally conceived the idea for a family brewery on Braxton Drive in Union. Fast-forward to 2024, and Braxton has grown to be one of the largest breweries in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Located at 8901 US-42, Union Commons, the brewery’s newest development is less than a quarter mile from where the Rouses began brewing. For Jake Rouse, the development is a “full-circle” moment for him and his family.
“What’s unique about it is we’re literally 100 steps from where Evan and I grew up on Braxton Drive, where the whole story began,” he told LINK nky. “We tried to pay homage to that in a couple of ways.
The development features a brand-new, two-story brick-and-mortar Braxton brewery centered around a 20,000-square-foot communal green space called The Lawn, adjacent to Dewey’s Pizza and Graeter’s Ice Cream.
Rouse believes these local favorites will give Union a family-friendly community hub. The brewery boasts some unique features, including Braxton’s original brewing equipment, which was used when the family was still operating out of their garage.
“I’m hearing from a lot of old teachers, and my old principal is coming to have a beer,” Rouse said. “It’s just super full circle. Northern Kentucky has always been true to who Evan and I are.”
Rouse said Braxton wanted to use existing relationships with other local franchises, such as Dewey’s and Graeter’s, to increase customer options within the development. Braxton has already proven partnerships with both.
Dewey’s operates a food counter within the brewery’s Covington taproom. Braxton and Graeter’s have collaborated on beers modeled after several of the chain’s ice cream flavors.
“It takes a lot of commitment from both parties because, you know, they have 26 locations,” Rouse said about the Dewey’s partnership. “They have their operations down pat. They know how to run a pizzeria. We’re asking them to modify that experience so that we believe that that combined experience will be a much greater kind of win for the community.”
Dewey’s CEO Chuck Lipp expressed enthusiasm about the partnership between the two local brands.
“Union Commons is a natural fit for us, and we’re thrilled to be part of a project that brings together such iconic brands from our region,” Lipp said in a press release.
In total, construction on the complex cost over $5 million. The project was first conceived in 2020 when Braxton and Dewey purchased the land from Kroger, according to Boone County property records. Rouse said the buildout took approximately eight months.
The “brewery hub” concept is something Braxton could do again in the future. As their initial customer base ages, Rouse believes there is still room to grow the brand in suburban areas.
“Our customers have aged a little bit,” Rouse said. “The majority of our customers are now – early families, one or two kids, and have likely moved to the suburbs.”
Union Commons is located at 8905 US-42 in Union. Find more information at braxtonbrewing.com.
