Jolly Pumpkin Finally Finds a Home in Royal Oak

A major craft beer shakeup is underway in Royal Oak. Michigan sour beer brewery and restaurant chain Jolly Pumpkin has struck a deal with the owners of Bastone Brewery and Vinotecca to take over their space in Royal Oak. The wine bar and brew pub will close in mid-May to make way for renovations, though the building’s underground night club, Monk Beer Abbey, is remaining open for the time being.

Jolly Pumpkin has long had its sights set on an expansion to Royal Oak and the partnership with Bastone finally gives the Dexter-based brewery the location it’s been looking for. The brewery was planning a location in the metro Detroit suburb as early as 2012, but abandoned the plan after encountering problems with a building sale. The company has since opened a pizzeria in Detroit’s Cass Corridor neighborhood.

The newly minted Jolly Pumpkin Royal Oak will feature an open floor plan with seating for 210 patrons inside and 40 on the patio, as well as a round, centrally located bar, according to a release. Earth tones, wood, and copper accents, will feel similar aesthetically to Jolly Pumpkin’s other outposts.

The menu will feature a mixture of Jolly Pumpkin’s greatest hits including pizzas, sandwiches, and truffle fries. The bar will be pouring beers from Jolly Pumpkin, North Peak, and Bastone, alongside other Michigan craft brews, wines, and domestic and imported spirits.

Bastone’s general manager John Sleamon, chef Robert Young, and master brewer Rockne Van Meter are expected stay on to lead the restaurant’s revamped dining experience. The company also plans to bottle and distribute its beer. The new brewpub is expected to launch this summer at 419 S. Main St.

This isn’t the only Jolly Pumpkin expansion in the works. The company is reportedly headed to Bay City and Grand Rapids.

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