Although Kevin Burkey and Ryan Fairchild have brewed beer for years, last month the two men took a gigantic step and opened a brewery, Dry Lake Brewing, on Main Street in Great Bend. They wanted to open the brewery last year, but because of COVID-19, the opening was postponed. After visiting breweries around the state, ripping up carpet, drilling into the concrete to make drains, and building a kitchen in the town’s old shoe store, the two were ready to go. … Burkey and Fairchild wanted to open their brewery in downtown Great Bend. Staying local and becoming an anchor was crucial to their business plan. Along with breweries in the main hubs of Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka, Wichita and the greater Kansas City area, these hometown businesses can be found in Beloit, El Dorado, Ottawa, and Pittsburg.
Source: Salina Journal.
