NEW BRITAIN - Mayor Erin Stewart presented a beautification award on June 21 to Five Churches Brewing for making Arch Street a destination.
Five Churches, at 193 Arch St., opened in March, but its owner, Peter A. Lemnotis, has owned the building for decades.
Because it is a historic building dating to the turn of last century, extensive renovations were required before the brewery could open.
The building had no electricity, heating or air conditioning, and everything was done from scratch, Lemnotis said.
In addition, the whole floor had to be reinforced, because the brewery is on the second floor and the equipment is very heavy.
Lemnotis, who co-owns the building with a half-dozen relatives, said the renovations started in fall 2016, and took about 14 months and $1 million to complete.
“It’s been well received in town, we get a lot of locals, we get a lot of beer enthusiasts, and a lot of compliments on what the business has achieved,” Lemnotis said.
Lemnotis told The Herald that he has owned buildings on Arch Street since 1982, and he feels privileged to receive the beautification award.
“It’s an honor to be given an award, to be recognized by a city that you worked all your life with and for, and to be acknowledged for the work that you did put in is an honor,” Lemnotis said.
Stewart said that the city hands out its beautification awards four times a year, and there was no doubt that the owners of Five Churches deserved to be recognized for their efforts.
Five Churches offers a variety of beers as well as wood-fired pizza and pretzels. The business is open Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 9 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m. and Sundays from noon. to 6 p.m.
For more information, call 860-223-8080.
Posted in New Britain Herald, Business, New Britain on Monday, 25 June 2018 21:35. Updated: Monday, 25 June 2018 21:37.