St. Peter Ambassadors awards Tremendous Brewing with 1st grant from new business development program

The St. Peter Ambassadors are piloting a new program to give local businesses a helping hand, starting with what is soon-to-be the community’s newest brewery.

The old fire hall on Mulberry Street, currently under renovations to become the home of Tremendous Brewing Co. this summer, was roaring with cheer and beer Thursday, May 9, as the St. Peter Ambassadors bestowed $5,000 to the budding business out of their new building permit grant program.

Tremendous Brewing Company is the first business to receive financing from the Ambassadors’ new fund, which aims to help new businesses establish a foothold in St. Peter and existing businesses expand their reach by covering some or all of their building permit costs.

“This is another way we can support new businesses coming into our community and not put our name on the business,” said St. Peter Ambassadors President Aaron Peterson. “We can help them financially by doing a building permit grant.”

Peterson said the program started development after St. Peter’s other brewery, Paddlefish Brewing Co., approached the Ambassadors to see if there were any programs the community group had available to support new businesses. At the time, the Ambassadors didn’t have a program in place where they could give money away to new businesses, so members began working on a program to defer the cost of building permits using funds from the Ambassadors’ many community events throughout the year.

The St. Peter Ambassadors are currently accepting applications from both new and existing businesses.

“An existing business that wants to add on or do some remodel work, all they have to do is submit their building plan or proposal and we’ll review the application,” said Peterson. “We’re here to support the existing businesses and any new business.”

Ben Findley, co-owner of Tremendous Brewing Co., was grateful for the support. He, co-owner Kurt Stoel, and staff at the soon-to-open brewery gave Ambassadors members a sneak preview of their upcoming selection of beers, offering a taste of their Ambassador Ale, St. Peter Wheat, British Pale and JLB hazy IPA.

“Every little bit helps, but beyond that it shows the community is interested in supporting itself by supporting others,” Findley said of the Ambassadors’ grant. “That’s a comforting thing and that’s something we hope we can provide someday.”