SaltRock Brewing Co. breathes new life into historic Bailey Buildings

In the 1920s, grocer Orla H. Bailey had a pair of storefronts built just northwest of the Capitol on Ionia Street. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021, the buildings have housed a series of businesses over the last century, including Bailey’s grocery store, a bakery, two barber shops and a florist.

Steve Kelly, an experienced brewer and former private chef, leased the property in late 2019, hoping to open a brewpub. The pandemic postponed those plans, but the idea endured, and SaltRock Brewing Co. opened in one of the Bailey Buildings on July 19.

“We had cars lined up and down the street for our opening, and the community has been quite gracious to us,” manager Michelle Brown said. “We’re starting to get repeat customers now who seem to really enjoy having somewhere like this within walking distance.”

Brown said SaltRock differs from other brewpubs due to its emphasis on higher-end, scratch-made food.

The tomahawk steak at SaltRock.

“The type of food we’re selling, for a brewery, is completely different than anything else in Lansing. We’re serving tomahawk steaks, and people also really seem to enjoy our bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers and our carrot cake,” she said. The brewery also serves brunch between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The rotating drink menu is the icing on the cake. In addition to house brews like the S.M.A.S.H. IPA and the Big Penny nitro stout, SaltRock also makes its own hard seltzers and ciders and serves Michigan-made wines.

“We switch the drink menu out a lot because we’re brewing it all on-site. Just like any other place, when we run out, we’ll bring in something new,” Brown said. The brewery is also working on acquiring its liquor license so it can begin offering house-made spirits.

Some of the beers on tap at SaltRock Brewing Co.

The new space, which includes a bar, two dining rooms and a patio, can seat about 80 people, but Brown said the brewery is already looking to expand to the other Bailey Building next door, which is undergoing renovations to become a private event area.

Brown, who’s worked in food service since the late 1990s, cited her new employer as the “best” she’s ever worked for. Her favorite part of the job so far has been watching former Lansing residents return to see how SaltRock has revitalized the historic property.

“The other day, we had some elderly women who were in their late 70s come in. They were telling us about how they used to come over here and play when they were kids,” Brown said. “It makes a lot of people happy to see a building that was left to decay be turned into something useful for the community.”