A group of small businesses will debut shops at Tupps Brewery in East McKinney during a March 7 grand opening event.
The grand opening event marks the launch of The Silos at Tupps Brewery, a group of small businesses that will operate shops in renovated grain silos. The businesses are part of Tupps Brewery’s Build-Your-Own-Business program, which is an evolution of the brewery’s BYOB Courtyard, according to a news release.
“Tupps started as a family dream,” Tupps Brewery Founder Keith Lewis said in the release. “We built it from the ground up, and we want others to have that same opportunity. The Silos are about heart, hustle, and giving people a place to grow.”
The specifics
The program began from an idea Lewis had to support small businesses amid rising costs for establishing a brick-and-mortar location, said Katie Baker, who manages marketing and events for the brewery. The former grain silos were shipped to the McKinney brewery and installed to serve as storefront spaces for small businesses, she said.
“After a year or two, the goal is that they grow so much that they move out, get a bigger space,” Baker said of the small business tenants. “Then we'll kind of pop new people in year after year.”
Tupps Brewery does not take a percentage of sales from the silo tenants, the release states, supporting their ability to continue growing.
Businesses located in The Silos at Tupps Brewery include:
- Rolling Cigars: The shop offers premium cigars and educational experiences for both beginners and cigar enthusiasts.
- Toasted Simple: The company produces small-batch, food-infused cocktail and mocktail syrups such as their signature Old-Fashioned Elixir. The shop will offer a build-your-own old-fashioned experience at the brewery.
- Fields of Fidelis: The veteran-owned lavender boutique and farm store offers locally grown lavender products.
- Peridot Plant Co.: The shop offers botanical gifts, and guests can create their own terrariums at the potting bench. The business will also offer workshops and events.
- Hotel Ugly Metal Jewelry: The business offers handmade, one-of-a-kind sterling silver and American turquoise jewelry.
- Stockyard Pantry: The shop offers chef-crafted goods, including cookies, dog treats, infused oils, body care products and more featuring beef tallow.
Lelo’s Coffee Co., another business in the BYOB program, will be located on the north end of the Tupps Brewery property and offer traditional espresso drinks.
Diving in deeper
Officials with Tupps began the BYOB program initiative in 2022. Baker said over 90 people applied to join the program, and the Tupps Brewery team sifted through applications with the goal of picking businesses making their own products.
“It's been a very long process, and I want people to know that they're really cool products, very unique,” she said. “These people have worked so hard. ... Shop small and shop local and support these small little businesses.”
Many of the businesses in the program create products that will be used for future collaborations with Tupps, Baker said, such as using Toasted Simple syrups and infusing lavender from Fields of Fidelis into Tupps Brewery cocktails launching soon.
Businesses in the program can also collaborate with Tupps to host and market events onsite, Baker said.
Quote of note
“The BYOB program is a very good opportunity for us small businesses, because if we're attached to a larger business, and they always bring in foot traffic and things like that, more people will discover our businesses,” Lelo’s Coffee Co. owner Derek Davis said.
Get involved
The grand opening event is planned for 11 a.m.-6 p.m. March 7 at Tupps Brewery, located at 402 E. Louisiana St. in McKinney.
The free event will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. and include live music, craft beer and cocktails, food from the Tupps Brewery kitchen and more. Guests will be able to visit all of the silos and shop from the small businesses.
The McKinney Jazz Showcase is also planned to take place at Tupps Brewery from 4-7 p.m. the same day and feature live jazz music on the outdoor stage from performers including McKinney Dance Band, Texins Jazz Band, and Ashton Weigel & the Latin Jazz Syndicate.
