The Leisy Brewing Company was established by Iowa brewer Isaac Leisy and his brothers August and Henry, when they purchased Cleveland’s Frederick Haltnorth Brewery. Isaac had come to Cleveland in June of 1873 to attend the Brewers Congress, and purchased the brewery the following month. Located at 3400 Vega Avenue on Cleveland’s near west side, Leisy Brewing Company earned a reputation for high quality. It became Cleveland’s largest independent brewery, and was the city’s oldest brewer, and one of the longest surviving family-owned breweries in the nation when it closed in 1959.
Isaac Leisey’s mansion, built in 1892, located just east of the brewery was demolished in 1974. The 1882 building, now home to a paper recycling plant, is largely demolished. The 1917 building at 3506 Vega, the home of Downing Exhibits, from 1972 to 2000, is currently under renovation as the future home of Gypsy Brewing.
It’s just been purchased by Platform Brewing folks to be a brewery again! It’ will be available for individual craft brewers to use the facility to brew their beer.
Thanks for stopping by Wendy. It will be called Gypsy Brewery. Photographs of the repurposing will follow! Check back often!
Great. I love what was done repurpose wise to their brewery. Can’t wait to see what they envision for Gypsy. I grew up on Clark so I’m very excited to see these buildings get new life!
So familiar! Nice project! I photographed the Lembeck and Betz Eagle Brewery in Jersey City, NJ many years ago and the interiors, particularly, are reminiscent. So good to hear it’s returning to use, and as a brewery again no less. Sadly, Lembeck is long gone, as are so many breweries and other industrial buildings in JC and Newark.
Thanks for stopping by. I will be documenting the renovation, so stay tuned for posts of the progress.