• Owner of Detroit’s oldest operating brewery one of many Detroit resident-owned businesses receiving support from Motor City Match (MCM), City of Detroit, and Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC)
• Same site where Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan first announced launch of MCM program in 2015
• DEGC helping more neighborhood businesses open in 2021; 127 brick-and-mortars opened since MCM program began
• MCM Round 15 $75,000 cash grant awardee

 DETROIT – Detroit City Councilmember Roy McCalister, Jr., and Andrew Lucco, DEGC Senior Small Business Development Manager, joined John Linardos, owner of Motor City Brewing Works, to celebrate the grand opening of the Detroit-based microbrewery’s second location today.

The grand opening took place in the same area where Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan first announced the launch of the MCM program in early 2015.

“The Livernois Avenue of Fashion is again a true destination — bustling with small businesses including salons, boutiques, restaurants and now a brewery,” said Lucco. “We are extremely thankful to Detroit’s small business community for their commitment to the City, especially business owners like John. He could have expanded his business anywhere, but he chose to stay in Detroit and continue the remarkable development on this historic center of commerce.”

In 2019, Linardos received a $75,000 cash award from MCM. His vision was to build a second location for the City of Detroit’s oldest brewery, which focuses on small batch brews and delicious food. The brewery’s original location is 470 West Canfield in Detroit’s Midtown.

After searching for a spot for a second location throughout Southeast Michigan for over a year, Linardos chose to purchase a building on Detroit’s historic Livernois Avenue of Fashion.

“I live in Detroit and so do many of my employees,” said Linardos. “Through our second location, we want to continue to be part of a neighborhood community and have a welcoming business accessible by foot and bike. Livernois has that synergy.”

Motor City Brewing Works will occupy the 100-year-old, 5,000 sq.-ft. building that once housed the former Hunter’s Supper Club. Linardos saved the site from demolition, gutted the building and hired Detroit-based companies where possible to complete the facility buildout. Detroit-based Michigan Alterations & Construction Services serves as general contractor and design was done primarily in-house with architectural drawings by Brian Hurttienne of Detroit-based Christian Hurttienne Architects. Linardos said crews are bringing the building back to life with design that is driven by the natural uniqueness of the building.

Linardos said that from the building design to the beer labels, Motor City Brewing Works reflects Detroit’s creative community.

“Nearly everything is handcrafted and singularly unique,” he said. “The brewery has a long history of music and art collaborations with local artists, which we plan to continue at the new location.”

While the original brewery location will remain dedicated to brewing production, special on-site brewing will service the second location exclusively. It will accommodate indoor seating for 89 with plans to include outdoor seating.

Located at 19350 Livernois Ave., Linardos plans to hire 25 more employees for his second location in the coming years but is currently experiencing staffing shortages. Between the location on Canfield and the new Livernois location, he currently has 21 employees. The new location opens to the public on July 17 and will operate 4-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. Sundays.

“Motor City Brewing Works is a true testament to the tenacity and community-focused efforts of Detroit’s small business community,” said McCalister. “John’s focus on including the community in the many aspects of his business – creative, contractors, design and architecture – shows the importance of local business collaboration.”

A well-known Detroit entrepreneur, Linardos is thankful to MCM and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program for their support.

“Support from Motor City Match has been a key component of the financial support necessary to build out our second location,” said Linardos. “Because of the help we received from MCM, we’re able to expand our business and continue to create meaningful relationships within our Detroit community.”

Nearby businesses receiving MCM awards include Good Times on the Ave., Krispy Addicts, Skin Bar VII, Bronzed N Glow Beauty Boutique, Fahrenheit 313, Shears and Shaves, and Narrow Way Café. All of the businesses are located within walking distance on Livernois, which now boasts a variety of streetscape upgrades like wider sidewalks, bike lanes and new lighting.

Motor City Brewing Works is one of 127 open Motor City Match businesses that have received support from the program. Of those businesses, 81 percent are minority-owned, 71 percent are women-owned and 64 percent are owned by Detroit residents. The program continues to have a large and positive impact on Detroit’s small business community, including:

• Roughly 15 more MCM businesses are expected to open in 2021
• More than 1,000 jobs have been created as a result of open MCM businesses
• $9.5 million has been awarded in cash grants through MCM and Motor City Re-Store, which has leveraged $44.1M in additional investment into Detroit’s neighborhoods
• Nearly 300 additional home-based and mobile businesses have started or expanded with the help of Motor City Match

“Motor City Match continues to have a tremendous impact on Detroit,” said Kevin Johnson, DEGC President and CEO. “More Detroiters are on a path to economic mobility, have been given a chance to pursue their passions, and have access to goods and services in their neighborhoods. We are using the lessons we learned from MCM to create even stronger support for Detroit’s small business community – the heartbeat of our City.”

About Motor City Match

Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations. Detroit Economic Growth Corporation is a non-profit organization that serves as the lead implementing agency for business retention, attraction and economic development initiatives in Detroit.