WAUPUN — Waupun’s newest business had an incredible showing last weekend with the new brewery’s grand opening on Saturday.
Jarrett Mack, the brewer and head bartender of Hoyahophousebrewing, worked the bar both days and got a firsthand look at the excitement in the customers for the new brewery.
“The first day we probably had well over a thousand customers,” Jarrett said. “It all turned out really well—they loved the beer, loved the cocktails, the food was really good and a lot of people were obsessed about the ambiance. Overall, the flow went really well. We had a line for a while but it kept moving, so we were doing really good and keeping that going.”
“All around, everybody seems to be really excited for the future of this company and the future of this business for the community, and having a place where people can drink at, hang out, and just be here and eat food,” he said. “So yeah, I’m just happy with the support. The community has kind of been the biggest thing.”
The weekend was all-hands-on-deck for the family, working in both the bar and the kitchen. Michelle Brown thanked everyone for attending the grand opening weekend, saying it was “more than they had hoped for.”
“The grand opening was made in part by the ownership of Hoyahophousebrewing, which consists of Matthew and Michelle Brown, Jarrett Mack, and Jesse and Katlin Huizenga,” Michelle said.
She also thanked all those who encouraged her throughout the last year in getting the business started, including City staff who helped make it possible.
“Kathy Schlieve has been in and we talked with her for quite a bit, as well as Raina Lyman and Craig Much from Envision Greater Fond du Lac,” she said. “They were all integral to our opening. Without those three, we literally would not have gotten to where we are.”
Saturday was also attended by Jim Grant, who used to run his law practice out of that building for fifty years before gradually selling it to the Snow family. Snow Law kept in business until 2023 and sold the building in January 2024 to Hoyahophousebrewing.
According to Karen Grant, Jim’s wife, he had been hospitalized less than a year ago and he ended up being treated by Michelle Brown as his nurse. She had told him about their plans for the building and the Grants had been excited to see what they would do with the building, and were amazed to see how much it had changed since they had been there.
Other notable attendees were Mayor of Waupun Rohn Bishop and Fond du Lac County Supervisor to Waupun Township Jon Venhuizen.
On Tuesday morning they released a regular weekly schedule for Hoyahophousebrewing open hours, along with announcing a website which will be going live in the next few weeks with an online menu and other information.
Open Hours:
Monday — Closed
Tuesday — Closed
Wednesday — 4-10PM
Thursday — 4-10PM
Friday — 12-10PM
Saturday — 12-10PM
Sunday 12-6PM
