Business – Solemn Oath Brewery
Taproom – 1661 Quincy Ave #179 Naperville, IL 60540
www.solemnoathbrewery.com
“We see Naperville as a destination. It serves as a beacon for quality. By entrenching ourselves in so many local relationships, we were able to become part of this community fast.”
– John Barley, President, Solemn Oath Brewery
John Barley fell in love with what beer could be when his parents lived in Belgium. In 2010 just as the craft brew industry was exploding, he decided he wanted to brew Belgium-inspired and American-style beers in the U.S. He reached out to brewers around the country who were eager to teach him, and by 2012 he opened the Solemn Oath Brewery and a taproom in Naperville.
Four years later, his business has grown by 700 percent, he has expanded his sales footprint across Illinois and has just launched retail sales to 3,000 outlets including Binny’s and Jewel-Osco.
“The community has been incredible, from people coming through the tap room to the amount of beer we sell in Naperville. I think we represent Naperville well,” Barley says. “We wanted to plant our flag in a community we felt was primed for craft beer and we absolutely found that here.”
It was important to John to have a strong personal relationship with a local bank that would support them and be a sounding board as they grew. “Naperville Bank & Trust fit,” he says. “They come in, support our events and genuinely care about what we do. That’s important to us.”
Spotlight on Business Success is sponsored by Naperville Bank & Trust, serving Naperville with three locations, 555 Fort Hill Dr., 1205 S. Naper Blvd. and 5 S. Washington in the historic downtown post office. For more info, visit www.banknaperville.com.
