Mike Schwartz said they previously sold home-brewing supplies from a small space in Belmont Party Supply.
But the new store gives them room to expand their merchandise for home winemaking — an area where Schwartz wants to be more competitive — and provide classes on topics like beer evaluation, water treatment and recipes. The roster of upcoming speakers will include industry notables like a November visit by Eric Wallace, co-owner of Left Hand Brewing Co., based in Longmont, Colo.
The location also will house a fullfilment area for an e-commerce operation that Schwartz plans to launch, probably in 2010 after they get the busy Christmas shopping season behind them, he said.
“You’re better off to start slow,” he said.
BrewTensils carries equipment, ingredients and food-grade chemicals used in making beer and wine, said Jeff Fortney of BrewTensils. The additional space allows customers more room to look at the merchandise, he said.
“It’s a lot easier shopping experience, a lot easier to browse,” Fortney said.
Schwartz said Brewtensil’s opening capped eight months of work, which included clearing out cast-iron machinery and other items left by the previous tenant, replacing the roof and transforming the space from a cleaners to a retail store.
Schwartz’s latest decision not only reflects business concerns, but also his own enthusiasm for making beer.
“It’s been my life,” he said of brewing beer. “I love it.”
The couple bought Belmont Party Supply, which employs 15, in 1984 and purchased the building in 1992.
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