The Home Depot of Home Brew

Welcome to "Local Places, Local Faces," a new bi-weekly column that highlights local businesses and the folks that make them work. If you've ever clicked through St. Louis Park Patch's directory, then you know how many businesses this community is home to. Let's get to know them a little better, starting with . 

Upon entering Midwest Supplies' large warehouse store off Excelsior Boulevard, customers might think they've stumbled into a Home Depot. But one look around — bottles, taps, wine and beer recipe books, and a grain room fill the space — and they'll know they've entered a home brewer's haven.  

"We're the largest brew shop in the country right now," owner David Kidd told me. "On top of home brewing and wine making, we've also gotten into organic gardening, cheese making, coffee ... there's definitely a lot going on."

Midwest Supplies was founded in 1995 by Dave Turbenson. However, it was not until just a couple of years ago that Kidd and his business partner took over ownership — almost by accident.

"I sort of stumbled upon home brewing through my sister," Kidd said. "She started brewing a decade or so ago, has won some awards, and I kind of followed suit." 

And Kidd's 75 employees follow his suit, each coming from a more extensive background in brewing than the next. 

"The folks that work here are all really, really into home brewing and wine making," Kidd explained. "They can help a rookie get started or give advice to the pro that is on his millionth all-grain batch." 

Todd Jackson and Nick Stephan, Kidd's customer service managers, are two of those seasoned veterans. Jackson likens working at Midwest to a fisherman working in a bait store. Watch any employee, most of whom are clad in a solid colored brewer's shirt, and you can see Jackson isn't the only fisherman in the bunch.

"It's a very exciting environment," he said, "and I think that's mainly because it's an exciting hobby. The way our economy is nowadays, there aren't many things that you can buy and see it through from start to finish. Home brewing is not like that at all."

"Definitely not," Stephan added. "Also, brewing has really caught on with the 'locavore' movement, the people that put a lot of emphasis on going green and buying local and organic foods." 

Kidd agrees: "It's an interesting time in the hobby. People's beer palettes have changed and with places like us, home brewing has become more accessible."

It's that accessibility that has given Midwest Supplies its sterling reputation. Anyone who is currently home brewing is encouraged to swing by Midwest and shop around. If you prefer the Internet, Midwest's official website is full of great information and even features live chat with employees who are ready to answer questions or get you started on your next batch.

Cheers!

Have a suggestion for a local busniess that we should feature? E-mail the writer of this column, Mike Behrends.