With liquor board's blessing, Hub City Brewing is one step closer to opening day

A long awaited brewery/winery/distillery/cidery is one step closer to opening in the former City Farmers Market building in Hagerstown.

The Washington County Board of License Commissioners conditionally approved a brewery and beer, wine and liquor license Wednesday for Hub City Brewery, which should be open by late- to mid-June in the building at 25 W. Church St.

The city sold the building to David Blackmon in 2021, when he announced plans to open a brewery and distillery in the space. A still was moved in last year.

Blackmon told the board that the brewery could open at the end of this month, but "realistically," he said, by "the end of June would be best, to be conservative."

He later told The Herald-Mail the brewery would likely be open by mid- to late June — at just about the time the Hub City Garage is expected to open on Antietam Street.

Blackmon, who lives in Frederick, is excited to be part of the development happening in downtown Hagerstown, he said — including another brewery, Baile's Cask & Kettle, slated to open in the Updegraff building on West Washington Street. Both breweries will be situated along the city's Cultural Trail.

In fact, Hub City Brewery will be the north end point for the trail — or the beginning of it, Blackmon said, depending on your point of view.

"The city's put a lot of energy into that," he said, and he likes that.

"I want to connect to the Maryland Theatre; that's a huge thing," he said. "There's a stable group of restaurants downtown.

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"There's a lot going on in this town."

Blackmon already operates Smoketown Brewing Station in Brunswick, Md. But he chose to put another brewery here because "I love Hagerstown downtown. I think it's got huge potential.

"I was looking for production facility in Washington County. Not necessarily in Hagerstown, but just in the county. And of course I fell in love with the building."

He credited Doug Reaser, economic development manager in Hagerstown's Department of Community and Economic Development for helping cement his decision to open the brewery here, and the city's Community Engagement Officer Brittany Arizmendi for her work promoting downtown Hagerstown.

"You can tell they're passionate about what's going on, and they've been so helpful. I mean, it's unbelievable the amount of support we've gotten. I'm very, very happy with the way the city's been backing us."

The brewery will feature two food kiosks, Blackmon said. One will feature food from The Dog House in Hagerstown; he's working on a barbecue option for the other one.

Blackmons help blaze new trail in state with planned brewery, distillery, winery and cidery

Blackmon said he plans to be open seven days a week, probably from noon to 10 p.m. through the week and noon to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: With liquor board's blessing, Hub City Brewing is one step closer to opening day