New Craft Brewery Coming to Downtown Franklin

| September 8, 2017

FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) – Friendships, the love of micro breweries, and the desire to offer a unique meeting place for the community was the catalyst behind a new craft beer house planned for downtown Franklin.

Trails to Ales Brewery has an anticipated opening date of sometime in May or June of 2018, according to partner Dave Ballard.

“We have all had the interest for many years to run a brewery,” Ballard said.  “It was something we talked about for a long time, but then a few things happened that opened the door.”

One of those events was the fire in February that destroyed the Sportsman’s Tavern that was located on Route 8.

The other was a former doctor’s office becoming available on Liberty Street.

“Things started to fall together pretty quickly at that point,” Ballard explained.

He was quick to point out that Trails to Ales is first and foremost a craft brewery – not just a restaurant that serves beer.

“There will be a limited menu, but we want to be a brewery. It is not our intention to compete with any of the area restaurants,” Ballard said. “But our menu will set us apart from the other establishments in our immediate area. We will focus on a small plate menu featuring deli sandwiches, locally barbecued meats, and we will produce one-of-a-kind meals.”

The brewery and brewhouse will occupy two adjacent buildings on Liberty Street.

Ballard said there is plenty of work to be done before any craft beer is made.

“We have a hearing in city council next Monday for the transfer of the liquor license (from Sportsman’s), and we still need approval from the state,” Ballard said. “It will also be a few months before we can get in the buildings. They need gutted and completely renovated, so there’s quite a bit to be done.”

According to the Trails to Ales business plan, the genesis for everything was the development of the Allegheny Valley Trails Association by the late Jim Holden, of Franklin.

Friendships were built over the years on the AVTA trails in the region and the love of micro breweries and the desire to own one was the one conversation that remained constant.

Here’s a look at the ownership team from the Trails to Ales business plan:

Dave Ballard – President

Dave is the owner of Franklin Insurance Agency and has been running a successful business for more than 30 years. He is involved in the community as part of the AppleCore that manages AppleFest and sits on several boards of directors in the Franklin area.

Lorin DeGroat – Vice President and Owner, Group Manager Relations

Lorin is the owner of Casey’s Restaurant in Oil City and DeGroat Trucking. Lorin has run three very successful bars/restaurants in the Venango County area: Casey’s, Wooden Nickel, and Sportsman’s. With his experience, many of the pitfalls of starting a new liquor/dining establishment will be missed and will greatly shorten the time to profitability. One of the main assets Lorin has is his ability to control liquor inventory and oversee the cash flow across the bar.

Bernie Nerlich – Secretary/Treasurer

Bernie is the owner of 4N Corporation located in Seneca, a successful international company specializing in parts sales for the heavy equipment and mining industry. He also sits on a community board of directors in the Franklin area.

Craig Smith – Owner, Group Brewer Relations

Craig operates Dennis Trailer Sales located in Barkeyville. Craig brings years of mechanical training in the repair and maintenance of all types of heating/cooling systems. Craig holds certifications in refrigeration. Craig also has been involved in the Microbrew industry for the last six years with his relationship with several small breweries in the area.

Jim Paulson

Jim is the owner of Art of Eye Care located in Franklin, Meadville, Warren, and Hermitage. Jim brings years of experience managing and operating multiple locations of his practice.

Jasen Fry

Jasen is the owner of WeldTech and Shaw Industries. Jasen has years of experience running one of the area’s most successful fabricating and machining centers. Jasen employs more than 60 people in the area and has an extensive background in employee relations, union negations, and installing a solid employee training program. Jasen’s family has also been involved in the bar business over the last several decades in Oil City and the surrounding area.

Mission Statement of Trails to Ales

Trails to Ales was founded with a mission to buy and support local business and offer a unique meeting place to enjoy local food and micro brewed beer. Trails to Ales is the result of the Rails to Trails program and its continuing effort to make Franklin and our surrounding area a destination for people to enjoy our beautiful area, celebrating fresh air, health, exercise, and fun. Trails to Ale’s honors the work of Jim Holden and the AVTA by donating five percent of the profit from our flagship beer directly to AVTA.


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