A longtime Wichita’s craft brewery is expanding with big new tap room behind current spot
One of Wichita’s first craft breweries — Hopping Gnome Brewing Company at 1710 E. Douglas — is about to get bigger.
At the brewery’s 7th birthday bash on Saturday, owners Torrey and Stacy Lattin announced plans to expand and build a larger new tap room not far from their current space.
The Lattins, who own the grassy lot at 1719 E. Victor St. that sits behind their current brewery, say they will build a new tap room there that will be roughly double the size of their current 700-square-foot space. It will also have a large covered patio, an additional outdoor beer garden and a spot where food trucks can hook up.
They’ll keep the brewing operations in their space on Douglas, where they’ve been serving craft beer since 2015.
Construction should start later this summer, the couple said, and they hope to have the new space ready by the summer of 2023.
Though customers have loved the intimate tap room on Douglas, Torrey Latin said, they’ve also often inquired whether the couple would ever expand. The current tap room has seating for only about 49, and with the outdoor space, that number could potentially quadruple at the new tap room.
The couple has promised to keep the unique “gnome vibe” at the new space.
Hopping Gnome was one of the first in Wichita’s new crop of craft breweries to open. It was open even a few months before its popular nearby neighbor, Central Standard Brewing — whose owners also recently announced expansion plans.
Like many home brewers, Torrey was a hobbyist who wanted to share his creations. He and Stacy decided to model their brewery after the ones they visited in other cities and loved — intimate spots with free popcorn, games and a laid-back vibe. But as soon as they opened, the craft beer scene in Wichita exploded, and their intimate brewery was frequently shoulder-to-shoulder with customers.
The Lattins say they’re still finalizing plans for the new space but will share them when they’re ready.
This story was originally published June 26, 2022 at 10:10 AM.
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