Chattanooga Pulse

I dare say most people who have lived in Chattanooga very long have noticed the Stong Building. Like me, you might not have known what it was called, but you’ve seen it, standing there at the corner of Market and 14th Streets, an oddly shaped brick edifice.  The Stong Building has a fascinating history—legend has it the building housed speakeasies, illegal gambling house and even a house of ill repute.

Come to think of it, that may be the why the building so appealed to a young group of visionaries.  The Stong Building was vacated in the 1980s and began to fall into disrepair.  In May 2006, an auction was held to sell the Stong Building and Joe Sliger of Eastman Construction was the winning bidder.  Attending the same auction were Matt Lewis and partners.  You see, all three partners, Matt Lewis, Geoff Tarr, and Ryan Chilcoat, had independently chosen the Stong Building as a home for a new venture.  Call it chance, call it fate, call it destiny—but these three approached Joe Sliger with their ideas and an interest in renting the building at the corner of Market and 14th.

After three years and many, many renovations, The Terminal Brewhouse opened in January 2009.  The owners of this neighborhood pub have done amazing things in the curiously asymmetrical space, with large picture windows, exposed brick and ductwork, dark woods and marvelous, warm, butter-yellow walls.  All the tables are made of reclaimed heart pine, as well as the bathroom vanities—all created locally by Aaron Cabeen of Cabeen Originals.

The local element doesn’t end there.  Matt Lewis refers to the restaurant as “approachably green.”  They use many organic and locally grown items in their kitchen, including bison from Eagle’s Rest in Flintstone, Georgia and coffee roasted on Vine Street by Coffee Crafters.  They’ve had waterless urinals installed by green/spaces, a Chattanooga company that acts as an eco-conscience, guiding local businesses in green practices.   green/spaces was also instrumental in building The Terminal Brewhouse’s green roof.  Earthscapes, another Chattanooga company, also worked diligently to create the green roof.

The owners of The Terminal Brewhouse are craft brewers.  By definition, craft brewers maintain integrity in what they brew.  Instead of adding a bunch of flavors to what they’re brewing, The Terminal Brewhouse focuses on perfecting the beers they brew.  There are five brews kept on tap year round, Belgian White, American Copper Ale, Maibock, Oatmeal Stout, and West Coast IPA.  In June, The Terminal Brewhouse added growlers.  You can purchase a growler and have it filled… pick one up and take it to a friend.   Starting tonight, The Terminal Brewhouse is hosting a Late Night Happy Hour: Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. until closing at midnight, you’ll find discounts on beer and some of the appetizers will be half price.

So, we know The Terminal Brewhouse is a craft brewery.  Now let’s talk about their crafty food!  Matt Lewis and Ryan Chilcoat worked together to create the menu of a neighborhood pub.  Delicious items priced to bring clients back again and again and again…well, you get the picture.  These guys, though—they wanted clients to get a little taste of their personalities and to relax within their walls.  They created dishes like “Yosemite Salmon Cakes”— salmon cakes with jalapeno and onion, “Ravioli Identity Disorder”—chicken and spinach stuffed in an egg-roll ravioli, then breaded and deep fried a la the South, or the “Look what you did you little jerk”—grilled salmon dusted with their own jerk rub and polished up with pineapple jalapeno relish, all served on a kaiser bun.

When Matt, Ryan, and Geoff came together with the idea of The Terminal Brewhouse, their main goal was to create a neighborhood pub.  By involving local businesses, creating menus priced just right, and throwing out great deals like Late Night Happy Hour, these guys have succeeded.

The Terminal Brewhouse is located at No. 6 14th Street (corner of 14th and Market) and is open Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to midnight.