Exile Brewing Company
Commercial / Historic Preservation
Pull Back
Des Moines restaurateur Bobby Tursi + his family desired to create a new local brewery that would distribute beer regionally + rival other Midwestern competitors. The brewery would not only serve craft beer but also feature a new Tursi family restaurant. They purchased a historic turn-of-the-20th-century warehouse to repurpose + rehabilitate using federal + state historic tax credits. The space needed to engage + excite patrons, while putting the brewing process on display.
Momentum
The Tursi’s decided the name + theme of the brewery would be “Exile,” to honor their family’s immigration story, as well as those of other immigrants who came to the United States in search of new opportunities. Slingshot not only delved deeply into the rehabilitation of the historic building, but also the integration of the brewery + the interior design. To differentiate the uses and spaces, materials range from sleek industrial metal and concrete to warm woods reminiscent of an old-world tavern.
Impact
The Tursi family + Slingshot infused a triumphant, personal immigration story into the interior spaces + adjoining beer garden to align with the Exile theme. You feel it whether you are touring the brewery, enjoying a meal or quenching your thirst with one of the house beers. The brewery also creates a social space in Des Moines’ downtown Western Gateway, which bridges industrial buildings with pedestrian corridors linking to the large sculpture park. In keeping with its industrial past and artistic present, Exile beckons with a gleaming rooftop artwork—a life-size replica of the State of Liberty’s copper crown.
