The Brass Tap Continues Expansion in Maryland with New Annapolis Franchise Location

Barry Lowenthal’s love of beer is what initially led him to explore opening a craft beer bar in Baltimore. Upon realizing he would be better positioned for success by joining a franchise model, he began his research and encountered The Brass Tap. The upscale craft beer bar brand left Lowenthal so impressed that he signed on to open its first Maryland location in 2017. The concept has since taken off in the state with several more units open and in development, including Lowenthal’s second location set to open in the untapped city of Annapolis.

The Brass Tap’s high-end bar fare coupled with a robust selection of craft brews that caters to a wide demographic led to Lowenthal’s interest in multi-unit development. He credits Maryland’s budding beer scene as another big driver for expansion.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for the brand in Maryland,” he said. “As a franchisee, I’m able to have almost complete control over the beer selection and focus on delivering a great local offering. We’re excited about where the state is going with its beer tastes and that we get to be a part of bringing good beer to Annapolis,” he added.

Lowenthal believes success in Annapolis is imminent due to the lack of a good local brew house in the area. Compared to Baltimore, the Annapolis beer scene isn’t as developed. “We are responding to a hunger and a need for a good beer place,” he pointed out. Lowenthal is looking forward to bringing a bit of Baltimore’s robust brewing scene to Annapolis, though the offering at both spots won’t be exactly the same.

“While Baltimore has about 12 breweries within city limits and another 10 in the surrounding counties, the Anne Arundel County brewery scene is still starting up. We’ll be able to serve a broader regional offering in Annapolis that will keep both locations unique,” Lowenthal said.

Lowenthal’s experience opening The Brass Tap in Baltimore has impacted more than just the beer list at the new Annapolis spot. He was strategic about his choice for buildout this time around to best accommodate the brand’s beautiful updated interior design plans, seeking out as much space as possible for the new location. Lowenthal decided on a high-traffic location at the Annapolis Mall that allowed for a 3,100-square-foot interior and spacious patio that he believes will be a “huge draw” for potential customers. He made a point to beef up his management staff as well to handle the influx of customers right off the bat, something he was able to recognize and address due to his experience with Baltimore’s grand opening back in 2017.

Growing beyond an already established and profitable location to multi-unit ownership was achieved through Lowenthal’s passion for bringing the Brass Tap product to his community. “There’s a rising and growing market for high-quality craft beer brewed in Maryland,” Lowenthal said. “We’re filling a void with a lot of demand by bringing great brews to the beer lovers of Annapolis,” he added.

The Brass Tap requires an initial franchise fee of $37,500 and has an initial investment range between $791,967 and $1,327,475. For more information, visit https://thebrasstapfranchise.com/.