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Date: 12/9/2020
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Marking two years since it sold its first cans, Two Weeks Notice Brewing Company celebrated in a way most reflective of the craft beer industry during the coronavirus pandemic – a drive-thu.
“It’s been a crazy year in a lot of ways and we’re all trying to be as creative as we can to survive,” said co-owner and head brewer Mark Avery. “It sounds crazy and maybe a little extreme to use the word survive, but in a lot of ways, that’s what we’re doing.”
In the face of adversity in the form of pandemic shutdowns and restrictions, Two Weeks Notice has managed to do that with strong community support. Before opening for retail sales at 3 p.m. on Dec. 2, the popular brewery had a line of cars stretched down Bosworth Street in anticipation of the release of the Caniversary II double IPA, as well as 10 other beers available.
The scene in some ways mirrored the company’s inaugural retail event in which eager patrons lined up in the freshly paved parking lot for a chance to purchase their canned products for the first time. But Avery also noted a lot has changed since then.
"That first day, we had a makeshift door, this wall didn’t exist, we were still building out the tap room,” he said, looking around the brewery. “It’s kind of crazy how far we’ve come when you think about it.”
Avery said he, his wife Murph and his business partner Derek Upton were thankful to have a community of employees and faithful patrons that have helped them make it to the two-year mark through COVID-19.
“We worked hard to create a place that people would want to call their own – their own bar, their own hangout, whatever,” he said. “We’ve gone through a crazy year and people have still been there to support us.”
When asked if being in an industry that lends itself to creativity has helped the company pivot as regulations change, Avery said it did, but even more so a strong local community of brewers that support each other has been extremely helpful.
“We’re all figuring it out as we go,” he said. “Truthfully, most of the time when we’re talking to each other, we’re just throwing stuff around and seeing what sticks. Having those kinds of people you can talk to and do that with has been huge for us.”
The drive-thru beer sale concept is one such example of ingenuity during the pandemic and one developed by Upton. When Gov. Charlie Baker initially shut down prohibition of on-site food and beverage consumption at establishments such as restaurants and bars in March, Avery was attempting to develop a carry-out plan when Upton suggested using the patio space and the alley running between Bosworth and Baldwin Streets as a drive-thru.
“It was one of those things I hadn’t thought of and he was just like, ‘Hey, why don’t we give this a try?’” Avery said. “It ended up being super popular to the point that people were disappointed when we were able to reopen the patio because it meant we couldn’t do it anymore.”
With colder weather settling it, Two Weeks Notice has closed its patio and resumed Wednesday drive-thru can sales. Meanwhile, the taproom remains open with socially-distanced table service and food provided on-site by Blaze and Johnny’s. In a twist of fate, Two Weeks Notice and Blaze and Johnny’s had planned a kitchen build-out shortly before COVID-19 set in. It was sheer coincidence that final health approvals were received before the governor required food to accompany beverage service, Avery said.
“We really kind of lucked out there,” he said.
On the food side of things, Avery said he was proud to be one of the few places in Western Massachusetts offering an authentic North Shore-style roast beef sandwich.
“Being from the North Shore, when I moved out here, I asked people if there were any roast beef sandwich shops and they told me Arby’s,” he said with a laugh. “So that was my one condition for the guys in the kitchen. They came up with two or three different things for me and I tried them out and gave them feedback and they came back with something that I think is really good. We get great beef from North Elm Butcher’s Block in Westfield and they’ve been super popular.”
Looking forward to year three, Avery said the company was excited to begin distributing to some local stores and he hoped more would come in the future.
Additionally, he is eyeing an upgrade and expansion of the brewing system located on-site, which would increase capacity and allow for more creativity and expansion into some new styles.
“We’ve already been pretty creative and I like where a lot of our stuff is at, especially our hoppy beers,” he said. “But I’m always up for trying something new.”
For more information on Two Weeks Notice, visit their website at www.twoweeksnoticebrewing.com, their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/twoweeksnoticebrewco, or their Instagram at @twoweeksbrewco.