For acclaimed Grand Rapids craft beer bar owner and MSU alumnus Mark Sellers, the choice to open an additional HopCat establishment in downtown East Lansing was a natural progression.
“I am a Spartan, I like MSU … and I’m really excited about bringing HopCat to Spartans,” Sellers said. “We’re doing this for fun.”
After experiencing success at his internationally acclaimed Grand Rapids location — Beer Advocate magazine ranked HopCat No. 3 Beer Bar on Planet Earth — he plans to open a similar establishment in the hearts of both downtown Lansing and East Lansing.
The East Lansing location will move into the ground floor of The Residences, the partially constructed mixed-use apartment building next to the St. Anne Lofts.
The bar owners plan to offer 100 craft brews on tap, and Sellers hopes to open the bar before the 2013 school year begins.
By opening the new establishment in the heart of East Lansing, Sellers said he is hoping to expose students to beers they might never have encountered before, as well as liven the craft brew industry in the area. “Lansing is an untapped market,” Sellers said.
“Lansing is 10 years behind in terms of craft beer … (There’s) not much choice for people who live in Lansing and East Lansing, but we’re going to give them a choice.”
The arrival of a bar offering a multitude of options would be an asset to downtown, finance junior David Groechel said.
“It would be different than going to Rick’s (American Café), (which is) a basement bar,” Groechel said. “It would be good for going to sit down with friends and drink nice beer; it would be cool to have somewhere like that.”
At his Grand Rapids location, Sellers said he has focused on providing patrons with plenty of craft brew options — they have 48 on tap.
“We’re for the student who likes to think about what they drink,” Sellers said.
Sellers hopes to put a spotlight on Michigan beers by not offering any macrobrews such as Miller, Coors or Budweiser.
As a bar that serves Michigan craft brews, Crunchy’s, 254 W. Grand River Ave., General Manager Mike Krueger said HopCat’s arrival only will help advance the craft brew industry in the area.
“We think it’s a great thing,” Krueger said. “HopCat is a world-renowned beer bar and has been well-known (for a) very long time … There’s plenty of thirsty mouths out there to be fed. If nothing else, it will be a good help for the Michigan craft beer scene in East Lansing.”
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