It started, like most good ideas do, with a conversation and a drink.
Gathered at the University of Dayton’s reunion weekend, Kathie, Brian and their son Garrett Hickey began toying with the idea of opening a taproom. What started as a fun ‘what-if’ quickly evolved when Garrett, inspired by homebrewing with Brian, drafted a business plan and enrolled in brewing school. Before they knew it, a brick building with red signage marked a new chapter for both the Hickey family and Cincinnati: Streetside Brewery was born on Eastern Avenue.
A decade later, that same building is still packed and still a thriving family business. Streetside Brewery celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and if you ask the Hickeys what they're most proud of, it isn't the medals and accolades (though there are plenty).
“Our goal was to open a place we could build a community around,” explains Streetside Managing Brewer and Part-Owner, Garrett Hickey. “We’ve done that and more.”
They overcame new business challenges like keeping up with demand and setbacks they couldn’t predict, like the pandemic, tariff swings and shortages in aluminum, grain and staffing. What kept Streetside standing was the community who showed up for them.
“Our customers are the best! During COVID, they really stepped up their beer game and kept us busy and in business,” shares Streetside Founder Brian Hickey. “We have customers of all ages and interests, which makes for a fun crowd.”
Regulars quickly became friends, and the brewery became a local hub. The Hickeys watched their dream of a community gathering space unfold under the lights of their taproom through happy hours, a long-awaited Bengals playoff run (including receiving a game ball) and even a wedding. Streetside is now a St. Patrick's Day staple, a cheer station on the Flying Pig course and a favored patio on sunny days.
And they haven’t hesitated to give back to the community that has been there for them.
“Their support never feels transactional," says Matt Yauch, member of the Columbia Tusculum Community Council. "They show up because they care about the neighborhood and its people."
And show up, they do. They’re frequent collaborators with neighbors like Delwood and donate their venue for community planning meetings and cleanups. You’ll also find them pouring beer for the Tusculum Street Fest and giving to Riverview East Academy and the Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum. Streetside is a good neighbor in every sense of the word.
As deeply rooted in the local community as they are, Streetside has also been recognized on a national stage.
Garrett nods to Streetside’s World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Fest and Festival of Barrel Aged Beer medals as moments of pride. The prestigious brewing competitions draw entries from thousands of breweries across the United States, and the awards signal impressive quality and recognition from industry peers.
Streetside’s loyal customers have ensured that momentum didn’t stay confined to competitions.
The brewery is approaching landmark milestones this fall with its millionth can packaged and 1,000th batch brewed, a celebratory occasion for the production team. Self-distribution has allowed Streetside’s beer to travel to other cities and states, a challenging yet rewarding endeavor that has made these milestones possible.
Streetside resonates with customers and industry pros alike, and a look at both the range of beer and eye-catching branding points to why.
“Streetside is a rare case where variety isn’t antithetical to the branding system; it is the system itself,” Garrett tells us. The vibrant, ever-evolving cans are standouts on crowded shelves featuring eagles and wheat. Marked with their iconic red “S” logo, the can is a blank canvas for cartoon monsters, bright flowers and even pet photos.
“Tonally, the wry humor, the heartfelt sincerity, the work ethic and ideals, cultural references… those are all things you’ll find in the people under this roof,” shares Garrett. Rather than a ‘canned’ brand identity, the Hickeys create something their staff and customers see themselves in. It’s an authenticity that’s easy to spot and impossible to replicate.
The customers play a part in keeping it real. The Hickeys acknowledge their patrons' evolving palettes and grow alongside them, moving from kettle sours and New England IPAs toward bitter IPAs, English-style ales and easy-drinking lagers. However, there are fan favorites.
“Suh Bruh and Raspberry Beret,” Streetside Founder Kathie Hickey notes. “Those are our OG, impactful and well-known beers.”
While beloved brews will carry into the next decade, this month, Streetside is celebrating the one behind it.
The celebration kicks off Sept. 25 at 3 p.m. with DJ CherryBomb, specialty kegs and beer releases, followed by live music from Streetside favorite Jonathan Cody at 6 p.m. Saturday brings Twin Sons Band and DJ Cat Scratch to the stage, plus food from Hi-Mark, El Cardenal Taqueria and Swirley’s Soft Serve.
Once festivities come to an end, Streetside won’t be slowing down. Garrett hints at a couple of barrel-aged releases and a collaboration he's excited about, while Brian teases new partnerships in the months ahead, including a first-time partnership around Thanksgiving.
It’s clear Streetside’s success has grown to heights the Hickeys never expected from that first conversation, but the vision behind it hasn’t changed: good connections, great beer and even better people.
"We wouldn't be here without the fantastic people who walk through our doors," Kathie emphasizes. "We are humbled by the sheer amount of love that we get from our customers, near and far."