Gregory J. Holman

GHOLMAN@NEWS-LEADER.COM

A team of four business partners and their spouses plan to open a “small microbrewery taproom” in southeast Springfield’s Galloway neighborhood.

4 By 4 Brewing Company is expected to open for business in August or September, said Derek Shimeall, one of the co-owners. Shimeall and partner Justin Steenburgh expect to run day-to-day operations.

They are leasing 2,000 square feet of space in 2811 E. Galloway St., a storefront that faces Lone Pine Avenue, Sequiota Park and the Ozark Greenway trail.

“We found this location in Galloway,” Shimeall said, “and it fit the perfect theme of outdoor community, hiking, biking. Sequiota Park definitely provides the culture.”

He said the 4 By 4 principals were not aware of developments on the table in Galloway such as the proposed Quarry Town mixed-use project in making their decision; they simply liked the neighborhood’s mix of restaurants and other small enterprises.

Springfield’s existing four craft breweries are clustered in downtown and on Commercial Street, and Shimeall said that he and his business partners were interested in bucking that trend.

“We wanted to be away from downtown to have a hangout, happy-hour area on the other side of town,” he said.

4 By 4 has other distinctive plans, Shimeall said.

It will have an “open” layout that will allow the brewing equipment “to be right there next to the bar, right next to the table,” Shimeall said, rather than a glassed-in setup such as the ones at Lost Signal or White River breweries.

They expect to open with a menu of eight or nine beers. They do not plan to serve food, but customers can bring in their own or have items delivered from nearby restaurants. They expect to work with a rotating calendar of food trucks, too.

Shimeall said that the beers will range from the “entry level” equivalent of a “Miller Lite or Bud Lite” American brew to two kinds of IPAs and a hefeweizen for craft brew fans. As time goes on, he expects they will sell small, “off-the-wall” batches of beer and take ideas from their customers.

The head brewer is one of the co-owners, Chris Shaffer.

Shaffer has been a home brewer for more than a decade and has shared his beers with the other co-owners and their spouses.

“The eight of us have traveled quite a few times,” Shimeall said. “We always go to microbreweries in different cities and we’re like, man, Chris, your beers are better than all these guys.”

After about two years of that experience, Shaffer approached the others with the idea for a brewery and they decided to make a go of it.

Part of their reasoning, Shimeall said, was that in their observation breweries attract many walks of life: college students, young professionals, older business people and retired people.

The fourth business partner wishes to remain a silent partner, Shimeall said, and is not listed on 4 By 4's documents filed with the Missouri Secretary of State.

Another set of entrepreneurs recently announced plans for a brewery on East Cherry Street, in the Rountree neighborhood. It is called Tie & Timber Beer Co.

If the two new breweries open as scheduled, Springfield will have a total of six makers of craft beer.

Read more:

Springfield may get a fifth craft brewery

Galloway: a turnaround built on tax breaks