Sangamo Brewing, in Chatham, Illinois, opened its doors six weeks before the lockdown in March 2020 due to the Corona-19 virus. Owner, Tom Noonan, who said, despite the lockdown and everything the pandemic had thrown at the brewery, bar, and restaurant, the business was going well.
Sangamo Brewing was eight years in the works, and when Tom found the right location for his breweriana, he knew he wanted to incorporate reclaimed barn wood in the interior. That’s where Sangamon Reclaimed came in. Tom called us to help supply him with reclaimed barn wood siding when he ran out. Sangamon Reclaimed supplied almost all of the barn wood-siding at the brewery, bar, and restaurant.
We also had the pleasure of working with Tom and his team to build the bar top. “It’s great. I call Brian, tell him what I need, and he says, “no problem, I got it,” and then the wood appears. When I go out to the showroom and the workshop, Brian always takes the time to show me what he’s got. It’s been fantastic working with him and the team there.”
When Governor JD Pritzker announced that bars and restaurants could reopen for outdoor dining after lockdown, Tom moved fast to create an outdoor space at Sangamo Brewery. “We’d planned on opening up outside in the spring, but with the Governor’s announcement, we managed to pull it off in just one week. I wanted to continue the barn wood theme outdoors, and Brian was there to help.”
Tom had the vision years ago to open a museum for his breweriana, but museums, as he said, don’t make money. So, he decided to open a brewery and offer food. His dream became a reality, and thanks to a great team, including his business partner Jason Buttler, front of house Jessica, and brew master Dustin Regan, the bar is packed daily. As well as offering ten house brews, Sangamo Brewery has a range of local breweries too, including Buzz Bomb Brewery in downtown, Springfield, Illinois.
