A Foley couple’s dream of opening a new brewery in town took a huge step forward when Blessed Kettle Brewing Company broke ground in downtown Foley on Friday, April 10.

What started as a 15-year home brewing hobby for Tim Lipe, along with his wife, Alexa, will become their own brick-and-mortar brewery at 224 E. Laurel Ave, across from Wacked out Weiner. After four years of planning and logistical struggles, they are finally ready to see their vision become a reality.

“We keep using the expression, ‘We want to be the third place,’” Lipe said. “Most regular people, they have work, they have home, and then we want to be that other place that people feel comfortable going in and just spending time, spending their afternoons and spending their weekends. We want to be the place where people find that outlet to come and be at our location.”

With beer being made on site, the taproom will feature a viewing space of the production area and will also feature a restaurant space on the other side. Lipe said Vinny’s Pizzeria plans to share the space with a new location in the brewery.

Though nothing is set in stone, Lipe told GCM construction is estimated to take around eight months, with a chance they can open by the end of the year.

“It’s been a long time getting to this point, and hopefully now we can move a little quicker and actually start to see some progress on the land and in the building,” Lipe said. “It’ll be a tough stretch, but it’ll be exciting to finally get in there.”

Blessed Kettle will be the first brewery in Foley, adding to Baldwin County's two others in Big Beach Brewing Company in Gulf Shores and Fairhope Brewing Co. in Fairhope.