The Firehouse Brewing Company, South Dakota’s first brew pub, is the creation of a group of Rapid City locals who developed the idea of creating an onsite microbrewery after frequenting one of Denver’s downtown pubs. The idea was to return the building’s interior to its original fire-hall glory with the added feature of a brewery visible from behind glass enclosures. The new decor included polished brass and fire fighting equipment to adorn the walls, the bar, and even the ceiling. The Group of partners walked in the door on the evening of September 3, 1991 with sledge hammers and crow bars in hand. The project, now a part of history, was completed 93 days later.
The Firehouse Brewing Company opened its doors to an eager throng of patrons on December 5th, 1991. Today the Firehouse is a favorite with locals and tourists alike and features a brewery, an indoor restaurant and bar, an outdoor patio complete with band-shell for live music, a winery a mercantile, and sports bar.