Funkytown Brewery, a Black-owned business that started at Pilot Project Brewing in Logan Square, is preparing to open its own taproom and brewery on the Near West Side of Chicago. The new location will be at 1923 W. Lake St., marking the company’s first independent facility since it began operations in 2021.
According to Funkytown Brewery officials, once the taproom opens, it will be the only active Black-owned brewery taproom in Chicago and the first with its own dedicated space. Other Black-owned breweries in the city have either closed or do not operate their own facilities. For example, Moor’s Brewing Company shared a space before health inspectors closed the building last August, and Turner Häus Brewery shut down its Bronzeville taproom last November.
Funkytown’s founders noted that less than 1 percent of beer industry businesses are Black-owned. They expressed hope that their new venture will encourage more diversity in craft brewing.
“Funkytown is a modern interpretation of what the beer space and industry should look like,” said co-owner Richard Bloomfield. “Funkytown was built to include diverse groups who’ve historically been left out of the craft beer space, and we do that by focusing on drinkability, palatability … culture forward, creativity and experience.”
Construction for the $7.4 million project is expected to begin later this year with an opening targeted for 2027. The brewery received a $3.7 million Community Development Grant from Chicago’s Department of Planning and Development to help fund the development of its new taproom, brewery, and distribution center.
The owners are enthusiastic about being part of ongoing changes on the Near West Side, where significant investments are planned for land near the United Center.
“The Near West Side and West Town are getting a significant amount of development and we want to be in an exciting, catalytic sales environment where people are just walking around,” Bloomfield said. “The product has to be good, but it’s about the experience that surrounds Funkytown, which helps us connect with the customer.”
Funkytown Brewery was founded by childhood friends Rich Bloomfield, Zach Day, and Greg Williams from Oak Park after they were inspired during a trip to Thailand in 2017. Their interest in beer began while attending Grambling State University in Louisiana before pursuing careers in marketing, business management, and school counseling.
After years spent developing recipes in Day’s parents’ garage, their first brew—Hip-Hops and R&Brew—launched in 2021 as an American pale ale featuring orange zest and tropical citrus notes. Within two months of entering production at Pilot Project Brewing’s experimental taproom, Hip-Hops and R&Brew won first place at California’s Brewbound Pitch Slam Competition.
Funkytown continued collecting awards such as Sam Adams Brewing and Business Experienceship competition honors in 2023. The brand now distributes its beers through over 300 retailers across Chicago.
With their own facility planned for Lake Street, Funkytown’s founders say they will gain greater control over production processes while maintaining ties with Pilot Project Brewing.
“Pilot Project was a good start for us, but our vision was always to have our own taproom and control our operations,” Bloomfield said. “We’ll probably always partner with Pilot Project in some capacity.”
Many Funkytown beers reference local language; for instance “Woo-Wap-Da Bam” takes its name from Chicago slang featured by artists like Chance the Rapper and Kanye West. Another brew called Gym Shoe Weather nods to regional terminology for sneakers.
“It’s more of an ode to Chicago,” Bloomfield said. “It’s letting people know here that we see them and it creates that sense of belonging with the community, words and vernacular that we use.”
The company plans to hire up to 40 employees from neighborhoods across Chicago’s West Side as part of efforts to expand opportunities for Black residents within brewing.
“I think we got a really good opportunity to educate people on the beer industry and give them work experience in the beer industry,” Bloomfield said. “It’s a great opportunity to give back to the community when it comes to education and employment in the beer space.”
