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Craft Beer Cellar Grand Rapids is hosting a Grand Opening on Saturday, March 18.

(Photo courtesy Steph Harding)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Craft beer enthusiasts living or working in downtown Grand Rapids soon won't have to leave the city to find a conveniently located bottle store.

A craft beer bottle store allows customers to purchase craft beer in bottles or cans and drink them on-site. The store will also have a tap room with 20 tap lines from various breweries around the nation.

Craft Beer Cellar, a national beer store chain based in Massachusetts, is opening a Grand Rapids location this weekend.

Local franchise owners and operators Brian Beaucher and his wife Jessica Beeby, both Cicerone Certified Beer Servers, will host a grand opening on Saturday, March 18 at 404 Ionia Ave.

"We wanted to open earlier, but we didn't want to compete with (Founders) KBS week," Beaucher said. "Our goal is to be able to sell beer in any legal way possible. There were no good bottle shops in downtown Grand Rapids, so we saw this as a great opportunity to provide one."

During the opening celebration, patrons can sample a rotation of 20 carefully selected draft lines, with the opportunity to open bottles and cans of beer from the walk-in cooler to drink in store with a corking fee.

Beer-makers from breweries such as Brewery Vivant, Saugatuck Brewing, Oddside Brewing and Grand Armory will offer tastings during the day-long event. The store will offer snacks for purchase as well as free Wi-Fi and board games for attendees.

"You'll be able to mix your own six-pack, open and drink it in our store," Beaucher said. "This is a newer concept for downtown. It's more of a cafe style than a restaurant. We're hoping for a very casual and relaxing feeling."

The business has hired eight full-time and part-time employees, with a waiting list for employment growing. Each employee will earn the title of a "Beer Geek" and at minimum, hold a Cicerone Beer Server Certification.

Staff is compensated equally, trained to work every position and will make the effort to educate and welcome customers.

"Our employees will be knowledgeable and be able to provide education on the sections we will offer," Beaucher said. "But we also want them to be inviting from a hospitality aspect."

The store will be open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sundays from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.