CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia – Champion Brewing Company and the Champion Hospitality Group announced today their next endeavor, Champion Ice House Brewery— a restaurant, brewery, and gathering space scheduled to open in the fall of 2020 on Main Street in Gordonsville, Virginia. The Ice House is a partnership between Champion Brewing Company’s owner Hunter Smith, BBQ Exchange’s Craig Hartman, and Stony Point Development Group’s Chris Henry. Mike Stoneking of Stoneking Von Storch is the architect.
Champion owner Hunter Smith said, “An Ice House is a throwback to the days of relaxed Southern culture where locals and visitors alike would gather over iced down beers, toss a few games of horseshoes, enjoy local homemade foods, and laugh with friends. At Champion, we love the idea of providing a gathering space where our award-winning beer is paired with Craig’s excellent fried chicken in a laid-back atmosphere.”
BBQ Exchange has been celebrated on national “Best of” lists and featured on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. Gordonsville was once known as the “Fried Chicken Capital of the World,” according to Harper’s Bazaar in the 1860s when travelers on the Ohio Rail Line would be greeted at The Gordonsville Station by “Waiter Carriers” selling fried chicken to train passengers.
Hartman will offer a menu featuring his popular fried chicken and other dishes that reflect the region and Southern hospitality. He said, “I am so excited to have the town book-ended with two of the finest true Virginia Foothills dining experiences. I can’t wait to see guests and their families enjoying the fruits of our efforts and love!”
Stony Point Development Group’s Chris Henry said, “I wanted to design a brewery that would complement the history of the town and pay tribute to the former civic auditorium known as ‘Memorial Hall’ where Champion Ice House will be established. When Hunter Smith introduced the Ice House concept to me, I couldn’t help but become enthusiastic, and it was only natural to complete the partnership with Craig Hartman offering a menu that is authentic to Gordonsville.”
Gordonsville sits just 20 miles north of Charlottesville at the terminus of what The New York Times dubs one of the most scenic routes in America. It’s an easy drive from Washington, DC, and Richmond, Virginia, making this historic Ohio Rail Line Crossroads town the perfect spot to establish a unique destination featuring iconic Southern fried chicken and top-quality craft beers.
About Stony Point Development Group
Stony Point Development Group is an award-winning real estate development firm headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia. Stony Point’s mission is to create great places and enhancing lives through the built environment. The company is uniquely focused on community building in high quality, walkable locations with connections to natural amenities. It acquires, builds, and operates mixed-asset development projects primarily focused on housing, office, and experiential retail. For more information, visit stonypointdg.com.
About Champion Brewing Company
Champion Brewing Company is a Charlottesville-based craft brewery with a three-barrel Tap Room, Champion Grill in the Shops at Stonefield, the Yeasty Boys Food Truck, and the Missile Factory, a 30-barrel production facility recently expanded to 15,000 barrels of capacity. Champion Brewing Company is on pace to brew 10,000 barrels in 2020. Champion’s American-Style Pilsner True Love was awarded a bronze medal in the 2019 Brussels Beer Challenge. Champion beers are distributed in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and DC.
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