Sep 27, 2022

Sandhills Brewing meets food goal; will retain drinking establishment license

Posted Sep 27, 2022 10:45 AM

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A popular drinking establishment in Hutchinson made their food sales goal to meet state statute.

According to Sandhills Brewing Company, they sold around $40,000 of food in five days to clear the 30% food sales requirement to allow for the renewal of their drinking establishment license before it expires in October.

Owners believed they needed to hit 30% of gross alcohol sales. They actually needed to hit 30% of the combined sales of food and alcohol and they did it.

Pippin Williamson updated the community at the brewery over the weekend.

"What did I tell you we had sold in 12 months prior? $22,000 of food, in an entire year. We're not a restaurant. We don't have a kitchen. We have this thing we call a kitchenette. Fun little fact, it actually used to be a bathroom."

Williamson said the community came out in force and not only bought food and beer, but they left him speechless with their willingness to help wherever they were needed.

"We put together a Hail Mary plan," Williamson said. "We pulled out a grill. We pulled out tables and a tent in the rain and smokers and a whole lot of volunteers and hours and we have served, I don't have all the stats on here, but over 1,050 pizzas in five days, 494 bags of beef jerky that are, by the way, all being donated 100% to schools or non-profits or food banks. We have sold over 2,000 pints of beer at $1."

That's over 48 5 gallon kegs worth of beer in just five days. 

"We don't know how many people have come out in the last five days," Williamson said. "We know it's in the thousands. There have been so many new faces here that we have never, ever seen and that, I'll be honest, I don't even know where you all came from, but it is an amazing testament to the community here."

Sandhills is closed for the rest of the work week to get their small staff that pulled off the Hail Mary some well-deserved rest. They will reopen Saturday, October 1st at noon.