On Wednesdays at Memphis Made Brewing Co. in Midtown, buying a pint of beer helps makes a difference in the Memphis community.
For every pint sold on Wednesdays in Memphis Made’s taproom, $1 is donated to a local non-profit.
The “Give Back Wednesday” campaign started last year and has raised thousands of dollars for Memphis charities.
“From our very beginnings, we’ve always tried to be involved in the community. We’ve hosted neighborhood events and donated to causes throughout Memphis,” said Andy Ashby, who co-founded Memphis Made in 2013 with friend and brewer Drew Barton.
“This seemed like another way of doing that. Plus, it gives us the chance to meet people working various non-profits throughout the year. It allows us to tangibly do something for non-profits while also bringing more exposure to them.”
Each month, Memphis Made selects a different non-profit to support through the Give Back Wednesday program.
“This month is the Memphis Black Arts Alliance because we thought it’d be an appropriate non-profit for Black History Month. We’ve also had them for Memphis Grizzlies Wheelchair Basketball, Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South, Cafe Congo – First Congo’s Food Justice Ministry, Girls with Goals, JUICE Orange Mound, Wolf River Conservancy, Literacy Mid-South and more,” Ashby explained.
“Like I said, it gives us a chance to work with a lot of non-profits! We’ve had people suggest non-profits, and some we’ve just picked out of the blue and cold called. Some we pick just because we’re interested in what they’re about.”
Ashby said he doesn’t know how long the brewery will continue the Give Back Wednesday campaign: “Memphis is home to tons of non-profit organizations, so we could conceivably go on for years. We’ll see.”
He said the response from the community and customers so far has been great.
“People like supporting a brewery that supports the community, so it’s been a real positive for us as a business. It also gets some people into the taproom who might not normally visit us, so they see what we’re about when they come to give back to their favorite cause.”
On Wednesdays, Memphis Made’s taproom, 768 S. Cooper St., is open from 4-7 p.m.
In addition, Memphis Made is open Thursdays and Fridays, from 4-10 p.m.; Saturdays from 1-10 p.m.; and Sundays from 1-7 p.m. The taproom is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
How does your brewery support the Memphis community? Share your story with Mike.
Leave a Reply