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At Wilmington Brew Works, we recognize that we are a gathering place for Wilmington, The Brandywine Hundred, and beyond. We are committed to being a place that is welcoming to all, but also recognize that in order to serve everyone effectively, we need to create spaces for different groups. Effective this weekend, we’ll be making a change to our policy regarding Children at the Brewery:
Friday and Saturday Evenings @ WBW
Family Last Call @ 5:30 pm
No children under 13 after 6:00 pm
We are setting a 13+ curfew on Friday and Saturday nights. 5:30pm will be “Family Last Call.” We’ll ask those with children 12 and under to close their tabs and clear the taproom by 6:00pm. We welcome well-behaved teenagers to stay out with their responsible parents.
Our Taproom can be a place for families to hang out together, and it can be a place for adults to go out for a good time. It’s hard to do both at the same time, but we’re going to lean into making the time that you are here even better. What does that mean?
Families.
We believe that taprooms are great family spaces. WBW is still a welcoming space for a family to stop in and enjoy an afternoon together. We can cater some things for families while you are here, so that your kids are engaged while you responsibly enjoy a beer. With that in mind, look for the following coming down the pike:
- The return of select games. Think Connect Four. We’ll have games behind the bar that can be checked out by families or adults, alike!
- Coloring & Activity Sheets. We’ll bring them back and have them available.
- Snacks & Food for Kids. We left kids out of mind when expanding our food options, but we are looking at ways to bring juice boxes, kids snacks, and special menu items like Grilled Cheese or Hot Dogs in the near future.
Adults.
We are a Brewery. We make Beer (and Cider). We primarily sell Alcohol. We should be a place where adults can gather without children, be it their own or someone else’s. So that means dedicating some time where small kids aren’t allowed.
- Friday and Saturday nights, traditional OUT nights for adults, are back at Wilmington Brew Works.
- Our live music schedule isn’t changing. Live & Local, sponsored by the Queen will continue every Friday night in the taproom, but will now be kid-free. We’ll still do live bands outdoors in the warm months.
- Food – We know it’s hard to drink on an empty stomach, so if we’re expanding our food options for kids, let’s do some stuff for adults too. Think sandwich, slider or hot dog specials once we get up and running. Of course, Metro, Mitch’s or other food vendors are still an option.
- Fun drink options can expand. Check out the Mliko pour, some fun cocktails, plus we have special WBW x Painted Stave Spirits that we will be having fun with.
We believe this is a compromise we can all agree on, and get behind. We considered many options before landing here, and as always, we consider this a work in progress. We reserve the right to tweak this policy as we move forward.
Anticipated questions and answers:
- Why now?
- There is no specific incident we would point to, but we’ve realized a change needed to happen. As we move to colder months, our capacity is considerably smaller when the patios and beer garden aren’t able to be used. Kids often spread out, which can be dangerous with a crowded taproom.
- Am I still allowed to bring my family on Fri/Sat/Sun afternoons or Weekday nights?
- You Bet! Of course, the existing rules still apply. Children may not roam free, throw balls, stones (or anything for that matter), climb stone walls, etc. Consider bringing something for idle hands, whether it be a tablet, a coloring book, or a card game. Stay within an arms reach of your kids at all times.
- Can I bring an infant in a carrier?
- Yes – this restriction is really for kids that are mobile – once they start moving around on their own, we’re not the best place for them on Friday and Saturday nights.
- Are you going to card my 13 year old?
- We’re not, but if they are acting in such a way that makes us wonder, we’re going to ask you to leave. We chose 13 because that’s an age where kids can have conversations with their parents, or they can sit and be entertained with a book, a game or a device. It’s ok to bring older kids and enjoy a night out, but if your kid can’t sit at the grown-ups table, it’s best to wait.
- Is this going to continue during the summer with outdoor music?
- As with everything, we’re instituting this now and will continually monitor the situation to see how it plays out. If we feel we need to make an adjustment as the weather changes and the sun stays up later, we’ll do that.
- What about the Alamo Room?
- This does not apply to private parties in the Alamo Room, however children that attend parties in the Alamo Room must stay in the Alamo Room, or supervised on the Alamo Patio.
Friends – we feel this change is in the best interest of our Brewery, our Business, our Staff, and our Patrons. Thank you for your cooperation, support and continued patronage.