Peep the deets on Victory Brewing’s new Philadelphia brewery and taproom (set to open late 2020)

Victory Brewing Co., which opened its doors in Downingtown, Pa., in 1996 and was a catalyst for the explosive growth of craft beer in eastern Pennsylvania and along the eastern seaboard of the United States, is expanding its footprint to downtown Philadelphia. Victory’s new 14,000-sq-foot, state-of-the-art brewery and taproom will be located in Center City’s Logan Square and will feature a production brewing system, scratch kitchen, three bars, street level outdoor seating, and a rooftop patio. The new taproom, Victory’s first in the heart of Philadelphia, will be located at the historic address of 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Victory Cofounder Bill Covaleski sees this as an important next step for the 23-year-old brewery.

“Victory’s leadership position in craft beer since 1996 affords us a long perspective on the evolution of this movement and encourages us that now is the time to roll up our sleeves and start brewing in Philadelphia,” said Covaleski. “We’ve been patiently looking for the perfect downtown Philadelphia location for years. This property, and its iconic address, 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, presents the perfect venue for us to expose both Philly residents and visitors to innovative, quality craft beer, while expanding the audience for the entire craft beer industry.”

The story of Victory Brewing started on a school bus in 1973, when fifth-graders Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski met and became friends. As their friendship matured over the years, brewing beer became its central tenet. Both studied brewing in Germany and held internships at Baltimore Brewing Co. With knowledge, experience and shared love of quality beer, Covaleski and Barchet opened their own brewery in Downingtown, Pa., in February 1996. Over the years, Victory became one of the most successful and decorated craft breweries, creating award-winning brands, such as Prima Pils, DirtWolf, Storm King and Golden Monkey.

The new Philadelphia taproom will complement its other Pennsylvania locations in Parkesburg, Downingtown and Kennett Square and will bring a new experience to the popular Center City area. The two-level facility will have two indoor bars and one outside bar. It will have a total of 3,500 sq ft of outdoor space with street level seating and a rooftop patio overlooking Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The brewhouse will have a custom Prospero Brewing System and will become an innovation hub for Victory’s entire business.

The design, which is a collaboration between Victory and architecture firm, Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel (GKV) will be influenced by the Victory’s history, its unique story and its ties to eastern Pennsylvania. The property is owned by Pearl Properties (Pearl), a Center City based real estate investment and development firm. Pearl Properties is a full-service real estate company engaged in the development, acquisition and management of mixed-use properties throughout the Philadelphia Metropolitan area. Pearl’s holdings include the former United Way Headquarters building directly across the street from the new Victory location.

“Victory is one of the iconic brands born out of eastern Pennsylvania. We are so excited to partner with Victory to bring new energy to this building and to the entire Center City area,” said Reed Slogoff, principal of Pearl Properties.

“In 2019, we rebranded our entire lineup, launched popular new brands like Twisted Monkey and Cloud Walker, and contemporized our marketing approach,” says Covaleski. “This taproom represents the continued evolution of our brand. The experience in this taproom will be respectful of Victory’s history but will also represent our next chapter. We look forward to continuing to be a good community partner with other local craft brands as well as to the customers who sell our beer in the area. Above all, we will be sharing Victory beer with new guests visiting Philadelphia as well as giving our long-time fans an impactful, memorable experience.”