Centralia’s latest new downtown business celebrated their grand opening and Centralia Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting this weekend.
Colden Brewery has opened at 117 East Broadway.
Owner Richard Neikes, Junior says he was introduced to craft brewing during COVID-19 by a friend and then earned a degree in the brewing industry. About two years ago he starting looking for a downtown building and found the location about a year ago when a remodeling began.
“Craft beer is so much fun. The artistic part of it, you can pick and choose flavors, styles, types and it’s a lot of fun for me. I like making people happy, and if people like my beer that makes me more happy.”
Neikes says he’ll be brewing a number of craft beers to target everyone’s pallet. Colden will have seating for 65 to 70 and if the city council approves, a garage door that can be opened onto East Broadway. He credits his wife Clarisse for the design of the new bar.
“Our whole set is a mining theme. So southern Illinois is a mining town, mining area, mining culture. I had family in the mines, my wife had family in the mines. We also pay Amish to the mining accident that happened in Centralia. So if you look to our lighting to the styles and names of our beers its really like to recognize the history of the coal industry, especially in southern Illinois.”
Neikes was also able to relocate a bar from a building being renovated by Shannon Cooney that was built by his grandfather.
The building first opened as the State Theatre in 1923 and has been a barber shop, parts store and more recently just used for storage.
Colden Brewer’s hours will be 4 to 10 on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, noon to midnight Saturday and noon to ten on Sunday.
