4-26-2026 10:13pm

Slipcast Brewing Projected to Open Early in 2027

Beth Callahan Editor

Franklin City

Story courtesy of Franklin City Website

FRANKLIN, OH -- Slipcast Brewing celebrated their official groundbreaking back on Monday, March 16 at its future site in downtown Franklin, which is on the corner of 6th Street and Riley Boulevard. Community leaders, residents, and project partners gathered to mark the start of construction on the $5 million destination brewery and gastropub, a highly anticipated cornerstone of Franklin’s downtown revitalization.

The 8,000-square-foot Slipcast Brewing is projected to open early in 2027 and will feature craft brewing, full-service dining, event programming, and indoor-outdoor gathering spaces designed to anchor activity along Franklin’s revitalized gateway corridor.

Experienced Brewers, Community-Focused Destination
Slipcast Brewing is led by five experienced founders from the craft brewing industry: Brian Willett, Dale Seginak, Shaun Lipe, Woody Willis, and Bill Sams. The team brings deep operational expertise and a vision for a welcoming, community-oriented venue. Construction services will be provided by Bunnell Hill Construction.

“Franklin has created the kind of downtown environment where a brewery like ours can truly thrive walkable, connected, and full of community pride,” said Brian Willett, co-founder of Slipcast Brewing. “We’re honored to build here and to create a place where residents and visitors can gather, celebrate, and feel part of something special.”

A Community Vision Becoming Reality

This comes at the perfect time coinciding with recent resident input: more than 42% of Franklin residents identified a brewery/restaurant as their most desired retail addition to the community based on an engagement surveys conducted during the city’s downtown vision planning.

“Slipcast Brewing will be more than a place to eat and gather, it will be a symbol of our city’s confidence, momentum, and belief in our downtown. We are building the kind of community people are proud to call home," said Brent Centers, Mayor of Franklin.

“When your residents say we need more restaurant and bar options in Franklin, you don’t put that in a binder and admire it,” said Jonathan Westendorf, Franklin City Manager. “You get to work. From vision plan to groundbreaking in just a few years is something our community can be proud of.”

Downtown Franklin: Investment, Atmosphere, and Amenities

Slipcast Brewing rises within a downtown transformed by sustained public investment and community-driven planning. Over the past several years, Franklin has completed or advanced major initiatives that have reshaped both infrastructure and atmosphere:

• Main Street streetscape reconstruction and pedestrian upgrades
• Opening of the new Franklin High School campus gateway
• Expansion of regional bike trail connections through downtown
• New riverfront-adjacent public spaces and gathering areas
• Spray Park and family recreation amenities
• Annexation of historic Camp Chautauqua
• Enhanced parks, connectivity, and walkability improvements