Olde Salem Brewery
John Athanafopoulos opened the first brew pub in Salem calling it Olde Salem Brewery & Grill, in 1995, after renovating an auto parts store at 278 Derby Street. It sat across from the Brother's Deli, which is owned and operated by the Athanafopoulos and his family.
Brew pubs, aka microbreweries became popular in the mid 1990's as many people stopped drinking large quantities of beer, but wanted more variety and higher quality beer. Brew pubs brew beer on the premises, offering glass windows so you can view the stainless steel tanks where the beer is brewed. Some offers tours, sell T-shirts, and sell the beer bottled.
The Brewery will also serve a full menu, featuring mostly barbeque and appetizer items, cooked from open kitchens in full view of the customer.
After only one year in business, Athanafopoulos sold his business to Boston Beer Works, who owned a restaurant near the Fenway in Boston and wish to expand their business. The business then changed its name to Salem Beer Works.
Some of the other locations of this chain are Lowell Beer Works since 2008, Hingham Beer Works since 2010, and Boston Beer Works at Logan Airport since 2007.
See Also
Vertical File in Salem Collection - Olde Salem Brewery
"City's first brew pub to open on Derby Street" Salem Evening News, Feb. 23, 1995, p. 11
"Boston Beerworks to buy Olde Salem Brewery" Salem Evening News, Apr. 3, 1996, p. C3
