Local cousins Brian Murphy and Tom Dooner are pairing up for another adventure together, this time with hopes to “bring good beers to good folks.” The pair is opening Bay Ave Brewery in Somers Point. The anticipated spot will open on the corner of Bay Avenue and Maryland Avenue this fall.
Being only one year apart and having grown up on the same street, the two cousins have been best friends their entire lives. Growing up, the duo always had similar interests, from Spider-Man to basketball and eventually, once they were of legal age, to craft beer.
Murphy shared that they turned 21 during craft beer’s peak popularity and, as consumers, really got into it. As they got older, they both had different careers they were living and working in, but they realized they didn’t see those jobs as their end goal. On the side, just for fun, the pair started home brewing together and eventually realized it was a route they wanted to pursue.
To hone this newfound passion and hobby, they each started working at different breweries to learn the ropes and become more familiar with the industry. They even completed a program together at the University of the Sciences, and it slowly developed from there until it was time to go out on their own.
Murphy shared that while now is go-time for their dream of owning their own brewery, this has been in the works, at least theoretically, for close to 10 years.
“We’ve been discussing and dreaming about it for a while,” Murphy said. “At first, it was just all in our heads, we’d go grab a beer together and just think big about what we could do and just get inspired. Then when we both started working in breweries there’d be little things that’d we learn and chat about. But now I’d say over the last three to four years is when it got serious and we thought, ‘OK, let’s make this a thing, let’s do this.’”
Murphy shared that after growing up in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, the duo would come down to the shore during the summers and have now both settled here full time, making it the perfect place to start their new venture. They’re especially excited to become part of the Somers Point community.
“Somers Point is a town that likes to go out and have a drink, it’s where I like to do it,” Murphy said. “We found a great location and it’s somewhere we felt like we could really build something special and be embraced and be there awhile.”
Somers Point is already home to so many beloved restaurants and bars, and the cousins’ plan is to blend right into that. Their goal is simply to be themselves, make great beer and offer a great atmosphere in a nice, new location. They want to give people another place to make part of their routine and another space to gather and enjoy.
They plan on bringing in local live music and hope to partner with local food trucks and other businesses to keep people fed. In addition to the food trucks, anyone who comes in is welcome to bring takeout from any of the other local restaurants nearby.
With a covered patio that wraps around the building, a fireplace and bar inside, Bay Ave Brewery is hoping to become the next local favorite hangout spot this fall.
While the pair know what they like to brew and have plenty of ideas, they also plan to let customers help shape the menu once they open.
Both being passionate about European lager brewing and traditional English-style beers, those styles will have a strong presence on the menu. The duo also plans to cater to lighter beers, offering options where you can sit, have a couple with friends and not end up in a banged-up spot.
“We got into craft beer when IPA was the only thing on tap, we’re definitely going to have some IPAs and hoppy beers, but we’re not going to be one of those breweries where you walk in and there are 10 IPAs that are all 8%,” Murphy said. “We are focusing more on beers that you can drink to just hang out with your friends and chill. Our artist calls our style, ‘foot-thumping beers,’ a beer you can just chill, drink and tap your feet as you’re listening to music.”
As opening day gets closer, Murphy and Dooner are looking forward to finally sharing the dream they’ve spent years building with the community they now call home. More than anything, they hope Bay Ave Brewery becomes a place where people can gather, slow down and enjoy a great beer with good company.
“We’re not opening a brewery to take over the world. We just want to make nice beers for nice folks and hope everyone has a good time,” Murphy said.
