TerraCRG has brokered a retail lease for what could be the next big thing to come out of Brooklyn.
Korean rice wine maker Alice Jun has signed a long-term lease on 2,500 s/f at 201 Dupont Street in Greenpoint for brewing, bottling and selling her traditional home-made makgeolli.
When it opens in the summer, Hana Makgeolli will also have a tasting room and offer tours for those interested in learning more about centuries-old traditional Korean alcohol just starting to make its way into the mainstream US market.
“We are really excited to have found a very unique location for this very fun concept that will serve as both a production and experience space,” said Peter Schubert, managing director of retail leasing at TerraCRG who represented Hana Makgeolli with associates Abbie Cheng and Bill Strassman.
David Sokolowski and Michael Patti of Nest Seekers represented the landlord.
Hana Makgeolli was founded in 2017 in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Hana is the Korean name of the company’s founder and master brewer, Alice Jun, who said Hana Makgeolli is a reflection of her understanding and appreciation of a drink that scented her childhood, accented family dinner tables and shaped her tongue.
“We have been receiving so much support and interest from the food and beverage community, as well as a growing number of consumers who are enthusiastic about Korean gastronomy,” said Jun. “We can’t wait to be able to have our customers come to our Dupont St. location, sit down and enjoy a glass of makgeolli and learn more about the history of this beautiful alcohol.”
Jun, who is currently building out the raw Dupont Street warehouse space for her company’s first commercial outlet, started home-brewing traditional Korean alcohol in 2011 and realized her products were much more aligned with artisan spirits from Korea than with many commercial products that are currently on the market in the U.S.
A recent influx of high-end Korean restaurants to the city looking for quality products has also helped her business grow.
Hana Makgeolli is similar to the unfiltered nigori sake as it is made from rice and contains some sediment and is less translucent, much like a double IPA appears versus lager beer.
