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Bibles traded for beers at St. Joseph’s Brewery

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Old is meeting new at a just-opened bar in downtown Indianapolis.

A group of restaurateurs recently renovated St Joseph’s Church and converted it into a brewery.

“Looking around and seeing that I’m in a church, but it’s turned into a brewery, it’s pretty cool,” said Mariana Luna while sitting at the bar.

It was she and her friends’ first time walking into the 136-year-old converted building.

They fell in love with the space at first sight.

“It looked really nicely put together and I really liked how they integrated a new modern brewery feel, but keeping the historic aspects of the original church,” said Alex Baucco.

That’s the feeling co-owner Karl Mann says he was going for.

“Why not keep history alive? Why let a beautiful building like this go and fall apart?” asked Mann, rhetorically.

When Mann and his business partners purchased the building in 2014, the former Catholic church was crumbling. He says the key to renovating the 12,000 square foot space was keeping its character.

“I think I love it. We put a lot of thought in it,” said Mann.

“A genius idea,” said Joe Everhart who represented the owners in the sale of the property. “You go in and how can you match the space and the experience, the dining experience that these folks are going to have?”

Everhart also lists other historic properties. He says there’s more than enough space downtown for the old and the new.

“Its the great eclectic mix. That’s what people find so interesting. That’s what they’re so happy to be around, that eclectic mix, not only of the architecture, but of the people,” said Everhart.

Many churches are for sale in Indianapolis, including a former Jehovah’s Witness Assembly Hall on Delaware Street, and on Alabama Street, the former First Friends church is now the Englewood Lofts apartments.

Back at St Joseph’s Brewery near the corner of College Avenue and North Street, the bar is made from old pews and floor joists, and the brewery is where the pulpit once was.

“It’s a great facility to have a beer in,” said Sean Pierce, while drinking a beer.

Mann says their goal is to have twelve to fourteen of their own beers on tap,they also have a full menu.