Foundry will now serve drinks with its artistic activities

At the Port Huron Foundry guests can enjoy throwing paint, running escape rooms, and now, adult beverages.

The Foundry received its tavern license to sell alcoholic beverages from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission on Sept. 8.

"This has been a long time coming, and we are excited to finally be able to offer our guests beverages while they participate in our art classes, paint throwing, game shows and room rentals," Carol Dalrymple, Foundry's owner, said in a news release. "We believe that this will make Foundry an even more attractive destination for events and classes.”

Among the drinks available will be various brands of beer, wine, selters, ciders and other premixed drinks.

Dalrymple said she envisions people being able to buy drinks to take sips from during the Foundry's various activities, or to sell to guests of hosted events such as comedy shows at the venue, or in the paint room where artists can throw buckets of paint at a canvas to see what they create.

"People could be in here with their friends, making something and holding a mimosa," Dalrymple said.

The first shipment of beverages arrived Wednesday as the Foundry's staff was preparing for it's first night of alcohol sales.

Foundry officials are still figuring out the specifics of how serving drinks will work. Dalrymple said she had no plans to serve drinks on their own, but would be open to changing her mind if that's what customers wanted.

The hope is that sales from alcohol will provide a revenue source that will support Foundry's goal of being a home for artists.

When Dalrymple opened Foundry in 2021, an upstairs section she called "the listening room," was used to host comedy shows, drawing crowds each night.

There was one problem: the shows failed to turn a profit, and she actually lost money by hosting them, leading to their cancellation.

"I was wracking my brain saying, 'How do I make these live shows and make money?'" Dalrymple said.

It was then that a friend suggested alcohol, which would go well with live performances and increase their revenue potential, without adding overhead costs.

The application process took 18 months and a lot of paper work before it finally bore fruit.

Foundry will still primarily be a business about hosting events, painting, classes and other artistic pursuits. "Alcohol is not our first business," Dalrymple said.

Staff are preparing for seasonal events, including a haunted escape room for Halloween, however drinks will not be allowed in the escape rooms themselves, Dalrymple pointed out.

"It's really important to me that people be able to do what they love," Dalrymple said. "My vision is to provide a place for the community to have fun."

Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Foundry will now serve drinks with its artistic activities