Woodstock Inn and Brewery Breaks Ground on New Addition It will be business as usual during construction, owner says

Construction is underway on the $3 million expansion of the Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery, which is expected to conclude later this year. The popular Main Street eatery will remain open during construction of a state-of-the-art 30 Barrel brewing facility, entertainment venue and 150-seat function room, says owner Scott Rice. With the addition of the function room, patrons will find wait times cut and an inviting ambience. The addition will also enable the brewery operation to expand and bring in-house production that is now done out of state. The enhancements at the Station will also include a new Tiki bar on their popular outdoor patio.

"We'll be open throughout the project and, in fact, we've shuffled things around so that there is even more seating now than before the construction started," he said. "We will not be closed at all." Patrons of the Woodstock Station celebrated Sunday evening at the Tearing Down the House Party. It was the last night that the Station's main bar will be open. On Monday morning, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held, which included the host of organizations and agencies that are making the project possible, including the Lawton Company; Alba Architects; Union Bank and the Grafton County Economic Development Council, and the Rice family. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Woodstock Inn is a landmark and the largest employer in town, growing through the years to include 33 guest rooms at fiv locations on Main Street and seating in several dining rooms for nearly 300 people. The Woodstock Brewery crafts more than a dozen year-round and seasonal brews, several of which have won national awards. "In three decades, we've been become a part of so many lives, and yet, we've never been able to accommodate the demand for us to be the backdrop for occasions like weddings," Rice said.

This summer, as the construction continues, guests will find a new entrance and lounge area. By August, the project will be focused on the brewery and by the holidays later this year, the first brews will be poured and the function room opens. Once completed, the addition will create at least seven new jobs, Rice said. The inn, brewery and restaurant employs 45 people year-round, swelling to over 100 during the high summer and winter seasons. "Our customers will find a few temporary changes when they come visit this summer, but the service, the quality, the friendliness and cheerfulness that has always been a hallmark for the Woodstock Station will remain the same," Rice said. -30-