Zach and I both dreamed of becoming business owners even before we met. Both of us are naturally curious, imaginative, and super stubborn; becoming entrepreneurs was inevitable.
Cleveland taught us about beer and it wasn’t long after we moved there Zach was winning state and local awards for his brews. As director of R&D I naturally approved all beers. Zach geeks out about chemistry and when we lived in Cleveland, he was a high school science teacher during the day moonlighting as a beer brewer on weekends and in the summers. Back in 2012 Zach got his degree in Beer Brewing from the American Brewers Guild and then immediately after that, we had twins; we already had a one and half year old. Yes, that’s three children under the age of 2 (insert screeching tire sound). While we were incredibly blessed, time stopped for the beer – or so it seemed.
After having twins, we needed to reassess our situation, our financial situation. I just happened to be accidentally working in corporate banking at the time and we agreed placing focus on my career would be a necessity to stay afloat. So, I stayed in banking. I took a new position that required a lot more time, but it was a passion for me, community development finance. I had already explored the non-profit fundraising world having been the chair of a national corporate campaign for a Feeding America drive, and financing affordable housing was my next move. I loved it. I attended grad school in Cleveland (back in 2008 - before the kiddo invasion) and learned about how businesses were shifting to a new set of core values; values aligned with protecting the environment and helping people. My new gig was exactly that and both Zach and I were completely charmed by this idea you can do right by the earth and your community AND you can be a successful business. We married this with the beer and Juniper was born – the perfect combination of our passions.
You may be wondering why coffee? Where does the coffee come in? Before any big box coffee companies had cold brew coffee served on nitro tap across the country, Zach was brewing it, hopping it, and already had several accounts to popular small businesses in the CLE (this was way back in 2014). It was all those children we had back in 2012 that stalled that business too and before long, the cold brew train was already taking off. So, Zach and his partners sold the coffee business (46&2) in 2018. You can still catch the cold brew in the CLE area, our buddies at Six Shooter can the coffee and sell to local spots and grocers. So, we thought why not coffee too! We totally love it, have experience with it, and fits in our core model which is to be a place for community. You’re basically doing the same thing having a cup of coffee as you are a glass of beer – you’re connecting!
This vision of ours is so much more than just coffee and beer; it’s about building a place where all are welcome to just be, to work, to meet, to enjoy, to wonder, to inspire. And by the way; you can expect nothing but the best when it comes to our coffee, beer, and other offerings. Zach and I are fanatics about quality and the Juniper family is too. We are partnering with some of the best here in North West Ohio, North East Ohio, and even South East Michigan to make sure BG has a healthy dose of top notch options; from our Pucks Soda (you know Pucks from Whole Foods and the amazing Zimmerman’s), to partnering with our friends back in CLE Heights at Wine Spot to council and provide hand selected seasonal bottles of wine for purchase. Yep, you will be able to purchase wine at Juniper too! Yassss!
Zach and I are best friends and a super team and if we can survive having three kiddos under the age of 2, we feel like starting up our dream business should be a piece of cake. We can’t wait to open our doors this summer and share a brew – CHEERS!
Introducing Juniper Brewing Company
The Journey Begins!