One of the benefits of living on a small campus like ours is that you’re never more than ten minutes away from Main Street. This week we will be closing our series encouraging students to take advantage of that fact by hearing from Olde Salem Brewing Co.
One rite of passage for college students is turning twenty-one. Among older students here, Olde Salem is the place to go. To tell us more, Michael Turk, the co-owner and CFO, spoke to me this week.
Q: How’d you get started in this business?
A: In late 2015, my cousin Sean came to me with the idea of starting a brewery in Salem. […] It was an interesting project for me and a way I could use my skills and experience to help out my big cousin. Once he’d found our brewer Kevin, and identified the historic Tarpley’s building in downtown Salem, I knew I wanted to be part of it and an investor. The rest is history.
Q: How does being close to campus affect your business?
A: Roanoke College is a huge part of our community and we love being a go-to place for students, faculty, and alumni to catch up over a few cold beers. We constantly have students working on papers or group projects during the day or pre-gaming a sporting event or night out. […] If you’re looking for a good time in a relaxed, friendly environment, we’ve got you covered.
Q: Tell us a bit about the brews you offer, and how you select what to offer! A: At Olde Salem, our brewing staff, led by Kevin, prides themselves on having an offering for everyone. […] We have everything from a light lager and seltzers to a cherry cheesecake sour and a bourbon barrel-aged stout. We also do seasonal specialties like our Ugh Bootz pumpkin ale or Hanuman, our Spanish milk stout. And IPAs… we always have 4-5 IPAs on tap. […] Every week we’re releasing a new beer or a new variant on something we’ve brewed before.
Q: Any other thoughts?
A: If you’re planning on doing an event and need a space or beer we’re always happy to see if we can help out. Reach out to our Manager Emily at Emily@oldesalembrewing.com. And as for starting a small business, the one piece of advice I’d offer is that it’ll be difficult, you’ll make mistakes, and there’s a ton of hard work involved. But if you’re a problem solver and resilient, there’s no better feeling in the world than seeing a dream come to fruition.
Maggie Raker
Section Editor
