By Chad Neal
Ellicottville is always seeing new businesses coming in as the village and town grows into more of a vacation destination. The newest business confirmed for a Washington Street storefront is 12 Gates of EVL. 12 Gates is a successful brewery from the north of Ellicottville and they are setting up shop at 14 Washington where Ratchet Hatchet was. Ratchet Hatchet out grew the space and are moving to a larger spot in the Kwik Fill Plaza. As The Villager likes to do, we contacted 12 Gates and was put in contact with Tom Kirchmeyer who answered some questions about the new endeavor being set up on the main drag here in Ellicottville.
The Villager (V): Can you give us some history about 12 Gates?
Tom Kirchmeyer (TK): 12 Gates started with two guys that love craft beer and had a vision and passion for bringing great craft beer to Buffalo.
V: When did you start it?
TK: Planning started as far back as 2012 and we opened to the public on 12/12/2015. This December will be our 7th Anniversary.
V: Who started it?
TK: Todd Wilhelm and me. We have other investors now, but we are the co-founders. We don’t brew the beer, Matt Gordon is our head brewer, but we love the business of craft beer. Sampling it is not so bad either.
V: Where is 12 Gates located?
TK: 80 Earhart Dr. Williamsville, NY 14221. We are hidden a bit in an industrial park setting, but our regulars love that it’s off the beaten path.
V: What interested you in Ellicottville for a 2nd location?
TK: Ellicottville has grown into a year-round destination and it’s not only a ski-town. EVL has done a great job of managing events and bringing people in. We love the idea of attracting a regional customer base from major cities such as Toronto, Buffalo, Rochester, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland to name a few. This is great exposure for our brand.
V: What will you be doing at the Ellicottville location?
TK: Selling our 12 Gates beers, of course, but also wine and a full liquor licensed bar and restaurant, serving up a New York style deli menu featuring top quality sandwiches and soups. We will also be featuring live music on weekends.
V: Will you brew beer in Ellicottville?
TK: Not enough space to actually brew in our spot in EVL, but we will be bringing down the beers brewed in Williamsville, 50 miles due north and near the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Who knows, maybe someday we will brew some experimental and seasonal brews in EVL. There’s nothing like drinking fresh brewed local beer!
V: When do you plan on opening?
TK: Not official yet, but before Thanksgiving for sure! We want to make sure we are ready so that our customers can enjoy top quality beverages, food and service. Follow us on Facebook for updates and announcement of our grand opening!
Kirchmeyer also added that “Everyone we have met so far in the village, including many of the other business owners, have been super-friendly and welcoming. We want to be an asset to the community and another option for all of its visitors. We can’t wait to become part of the EVL family of businesses! We’ll be pouring 4 of our beers at the Holiday Valley Beer and Wine Festival this weekend, so come say hello!”