Today we’d like to introduce you to Levi Knoll.
Levi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been working in kitchens since I was 15, so the idea of running my own place started young. I attended culinary school in both Chicago and Grand Rapids at the Secchia Institute, where I later met my wife, Callee. We shared a passion for all things food and travel, having worked in the industry both locally and globally. Later in my restaurant career, I worked at a local brewery and fell in love with everything the craft beer scene had to offer. So, once my wife and I got married, I started home-brewing, and my dreams morphed into owning not only a restaurant but also a brewery. After many years of searching for the perfect spot, we settled on our location in Belmont and have now been in operation for over 2.5 years.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting right after the height of the pandemic definitely presented its own unique set of challenges. We struggled with everything from staffing shortages to exponentially increased construction prices. And many customers were still hesitant to dine in public. Along the way, we’ve worked hard to foster a solid core staff, some of whom have been with us since the beginning. And we’ve built up a loyal customer base that continues to support us. The challenges in the beginning turned into growth opportunities, and we’ve learned so much from our short 2.5 years in business. The journey has been far from smooth, but absolutely worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Archival Brewing?
Archival offers a full menu with scratch-made food featuring approachable yet elevated fare. We work with local farms and purveyors to connect with our community and serve high-quality dishes. We also brew everything on-site with 22 taps of beer, mead, and cider, focusing on historic recipes from as far back as the Viking era to earlier brews from the mid-90s. Along with a variety of draft options, we offer Michigan wines and Detroit City Soda. Kids’ menus are available, as well, with lots of options for even the pickiest eaters.
Our Biergarten is a huge draw, especially in the summer, with room for over 150 guests. Nestled behind the brewery, our biergarten has its own bar along with 3 fire pits surrounded by Adirondack chairs, next to corn hole and bocce ball. All of our outside areas are dog-friendly (we LOVE dogs)! We like to think of our outdoor area as a respite from the busyness of everyday life, with beautiful views of a township park and disc golf course.
Events are another large part of what we do. We have in-house events throughout the week: Mug Club Wednesdays, live music every Friday, Weekend Brunch, and Game Nights on Sundays. We have deals running throughout the week, as well, including our $15 Lunch Combo, Happy Hour, and Wine Wednesdays,
We want to make sure all our guests feel welcome here with food, drink, and event options for everyone!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Our menu offers a wide variety of allergen-friendly dishes and drinks. Our entire facility is nut free. Both our Biergarten and wraparound deck are a huge draw, especially in the summer, with room for over 150 guests. Having an allergen-friendly facility is important and personal to us, as we both have family and friends with severe allergies. Being a safe spot for guests to eat and drink is such a big part of what we do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://archivalbrewing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archivalbrewing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archivalbrewing
Image Credits
Clary Walker II
Jess Darling Photos
Callee Knoll
