Episode 29: Sketchbook Brewing Company
This week on, “Inside the Skev,” with Cesar Maron and Shawn Decker from Sketchbook Brewing Company. Sketchbook Brewing Company is located at 821 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202 and are building a second facility at 4901 Main Street, Skokie, IL 60077. First opened to the public on November 15, 2014, Sketchbook has come a long way from its early days filling growlers from an alley. Fueled by fierce customer loyalty and a passion for brewing excellence, this Evanston success story is expanding its distribution of cans and kegs quickly.
Sketchbook Brewing Company is the brainchild of two home-brew heroes, Shawn Decker & Cesar Marron, who met through Evanston’s Homebrew Club – a mighty throng of beer enthusiasts. Cesar’s brewing skills have earned him a dozen medals, and he was the Samuel Adams Longshot American Homebrew Contest 2013 winner: his grätzer was selected from over 1,000 entries nationwide. Shawn brings a solid home-brewing practice to the partnership and decades of experience as a musician, artist, and teacher working on big projects where quality was important.
Sketchbook opened its Tap Room in April of 2016 at 821 Chicago Ave. in spring of 2016, and this intimate space has become a favorite with locals and beer connoisseurs. They recently held a Kickstarter to raise funds for an expansion of their facility and tap room, and more recently announced their expansion of a second brewery and tap room in Skokie.
We talk with Cesar and Shawn about their history and passion for beer, their incredible success in getting community buy-in, and the transformation of Chicago Avenue in Evanston. We discuss their success in business, and their hopes for the future.
Sketchbook Brewing Company can be found online in the following places:
Web- http://www.sketchbookbrewing.com/
Instagram- @sketchbookbrew
Facebook- @sketchbookbrew
Twitter-@Sketchbookbrew
Please share this episode, get some of their beer and tag #maindempstermile #evanston #skevanston #skokie #shopskokie #beer #brewery #smallbusiness #entrepreneur #illinoisbusiness #aaronmaslianskyrealestate and #insidetheskev.
I’d like to thank several people for help with today’s show. This includes my real estate brokerage, Dreamtown Realty in Evanston for helping me with my graphics for the show. I’d like to thank Industrious in Evanston for use of their space to record follow them on Instagram at @industriousevanston. And if listening to this podcast gave you the bug to buy or sell real estate, email me at aaron@skevanston.com or go to my real estate website at http://www.aaronmasliansky.com And don’t forget to subscribe! Thank you.
