FOOD + DRINK
The pair’s first big decision was to choose their stomping grounds. The co-owners knew their brewery was going to be dependent on location. “We wanted to be downtown, but we needed a place that was large enough to support the size of the brewery itself—tall enough ceilings, a modular enough space where we can adapt and change it,” said Gerrish. “We both knew we wanted to be on Main Street or very close to it,” added Ulrich. “So once we found the perfect space, we locked it in and our excitement only grew from there.” The pair knew that branding was also crucial to the success of the brewery. The goal was to cultivate an environment that was unique from other businesses in Vermillion. “We also discussed the name and our tagline,” said Ulrich. “We wanted more of an indirect way to say, ‘We’re a brewery for the community; we’re a Vermillion or a Clay County brewing company.” It’s from these brainstorming sessions that the name XIX Brewing Company originated. The Roman numeral number of XIX is 19, which stems from Clay County’s license plate number. The tagline, “Good Beer. Better Company.” was created to pay tribute to the Vermillion community, as well as the community the company is trying to foster.
MIKE MARKHAM
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Katey Ulrich works full-time at the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law as the director of admissions and marketing. Ed Gerrish also works full-time as a professor of public administration at the University of South Dakota .
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