Pollyanna Brewing to have grand opening in St. Charles

ST. CHARLES – Pollyanna Brewing Company plans to soon have a grand opening in the space at 106 S. Riverside Ave. that formerly housed Chord on Blues and River Rockhouse.

The grand opening will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. Nov. 1 with the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. Pollyanna co-founder and chief financial officer Ryan Weidner said Pollyanna’s crew worked hard on completing the vision the company had for the space.

"It was all about the process,” Weidner said in a news release from the St. Charles Business Alliance. “We are thankful [for] all the help we’ve had along the way to get us ready to open in downtown St. Charles, and have people enjoy our selection. We hope everyone gets a chance to come celebrate with us during the grand opening.”

The renovated space of the former Chord on Blues and River Rockhouse gives a nod to its roots with a stage for live music and a restored 30-foot bar that was built in the 1940s, when the space was known as the Arcada Recreation Center, as well as a build-out with a modern speakeasy theme.

The space features a full production area for brewing and four garage doors that can be lifted during pleasant weather to let patrons enjoy the outdoors while sitting in comfort in Pollyanna’s space.

Weidner also said the St. Charles Pollyanna location will showcase its entire lineup of beer with 24 taps of Pollyanna beer that will include year-round, seasonal, sours and barrel-aged offerings.

Although the Pollyanna location will not have a kitchen, it will collaborate with restaurants in the area and have a Bring Your Own Food policy. Pollyanna uses a similar policy at its other locations in Lemont and Roselle.

While Pollyanna is occupying the building's southern half, a high-end sports bar called Flagship on the Fox opened earlier this year in the building's northern half.

More information about Pollyanna is available at its website at pollyannabrewing.com.