An exciting new concept is preparing to throw its hat into the Philadelphia craft brewery scene. Prime Station Brewing, the passion project of beer enthusiasts Connor Sheridan and Jon Henning, is coming to the City of Brotherly Love and serving a healthy dose of whimsy and imagination alongside its delicious libations, reports the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Prime Station is still in its early stages. Sheridan and Henning have plans for a South Philly taproom eventually.
Sheridan explains to What Now Philadelphia that the neighborhood holds a special significance to the brewery and its deep Philly roots. He states “The name “Prime Station” is actually based on some Philadelphia history. Washington Avenue in South Philly used to be named Prime Street up until around the time of the Civil War. Washington Ave was lined with factories and warehouses at the time, and it was one of the biggest manufacturing and industrial areas in the world, which spoke to us, since brewing at it’s core is manufacturing. At Broad and Prime Street was the Prime Street Train Depot, which helped transport those goods around the world. We shortened it to Prime Station which rolls off the tongue a little better. To stay true to our namesake, we’d like to aim to set up shop in South Philly as well!”
Sheridan and Henning are hoping to create a taproom that exceeds the conventional expectations associated with such an institution. Sheridan describes their vision, saying “We want to create an all-day taproom that opens early as a coffee shop, and a place where people can come work remotely during the day, and eventually transition into the more lively brewery taproom atmosphere later in the afternoon. We want to cater to events (daily yoga classes, sports watch parties, birthday parties, office parties, baby showers, etc), feature local art, and we hope to build a few rent-able kitchens for local chefs and entrepreneurs to run the food program for the taproom guests.”
The partners in beer first dreamt of Prime Station when they discovered a mutual enthusiasm for beer. Sheridan explains “Jon and I had both reached points in our career where we were ready to pursue something different. We have both worked in digital marketing for the past 15 years or so (we actually met while working for the same company from 2012-2016), and wanted to take back a little more control on our career paths, fueling it with something we’re both passionate about, which is the beer and brewing industry.”
The pair intend to introduce Prime Station to Philly drinkers via partnerships with local restaurants and bars. Sheridan and Henning’s marketing background has prepared them for the various ins and outs of distributing a new product. Sheridan states: “…we’re mostly waiting to start aggressively pushing on our sales process until we get closer to brewing our first few batches. The licensing process can be notoriously difficult to navigate and hard to predict how long it will take, so we didn’t want to attempt to formally sign any accounts until we have clarity on when the beer will be available to distribute. The focus will be bars, restaurants, beer stores in Philly initially.”
Sheridan and Henning have created a brand narrative that is as visually fascinating as it is historically engaging. The concept’s mascot is a steampunk time-traveler, shown in silhouette. Sheridan introduces the mysterious little fellow, saying “Our Steampunk-inspired character is named Axel Hopsworth, and he lived in the basement at Prime Station, as a brewer, inventor and entrepreneur. The time machine he invented took him through all eras of Philadelphia history (further tapping into the Philly history theme) where he witnessed events, people, and things that had influence in the Philadelphia we know today. He landed in 2024 with the intention of setting up a new Prime Station, where the centerpiece is a brewing operation, but also a central, modern hub for the community.”
Sheridan explains that while he can’t offer a precise date that Prime Station’s beers will be available, it may be sooner than later. He states “Like I mentioned, the licensing process can be unpredictable, and while we have applied for a license, it’s tough to know exactly when we’ll be approved. Our hope is that if all goes right, we could have our first batches of beer ready to distribute in Q1 2025.”
