Craft breweries as hermit crabs: Adaptive reuse and the revaluation of place

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between craft breweries and adaptive reuse processes in small town Ontario, Canada. Drawing together semi-structured interviews, site analysis, and secondary newspaper and planning sources, this paper illustrates that, despite a diversity of structures and locations, there is a consistency in interior design and aesthetics across small town breweries. The visual symbolism and spatial references, included as part of the internal décor, produce a new story of place within the buildings. We argue that these repurposed sites should be valued regardless of age, location, or building type: their interior adaptation signals a revaluation and revival that spills over beyond the shell.