USA, NY: Engine 14 Brewery already open in Naples

Greg and Kate Borden deserve a beer. Actually, make that a double, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported on June 6.

If for nothing else than for their dogged perseverance finally achieving a dream that has been some 30 years in the making, brewing and providing a beer or two for the rest of Naples and those who enjoy visiting the picturesque village.

Supply chain issues because of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the opening of the Bordens’ firehouse-themed Engine 14 Brewery until March of this year.

The Bordens — along with a cadre of family, friends and former firefighters — spent many long, back-breaking hours converting space owned by Hazlitt Red Cat Cellars, which, way back when it was Widmer Winery, was used to make champagne and other products.

They hauled tanks out, and of course, brought theirs in — and they had to be scrubbed down and polished.

Floors had to be redone. Walls and ceiling had to be redone. Windows had to be replaced. This is an old building, after all, one that used to be two stories high and in which the Bordens even discovered a smoky odor after drilling into the floor, an unexpected reminder of a devastating fire in 1943 and an ironic touch to their plan.

In other words, their perfect space was a fixer-upper that Mr. Fix-It might have walked away from, but the Bordens are blessed with stick-to-it-iveness.

Every corner they turned, there was something — and Greg could go on for hours just talking about the demolition, let alone the rebuild.

As a gentle rain fell on that day, softening the view of Naples village and green hills off in the distance, it was easy to laugh when pondering the question, did you ever want to give it up?

"You mean, daily?" Greg said, and quickly joined by Kate: "Is there a point we didn’t say that?"

"It’s been quite a ride," Greg said.

That, as they say, is mostly in the past — best forgotten with the help of Borden’s crushable pilsners and lagers, which seem to be the favorites of the eight styles of beer he brews, he said.

"We seem to get more of light beer drinkers, but people love our stout," Greg said. "It’s a really easy-drinking stout. Quite often people will go, 'I’m not a stout drinker.' Well, just take a sip of it and see if you like it. It’s really heavy and it has a nice finish to it."

But don't sleep on Engine 14's smooth cream ale and bock, which is notable in its own right. Coming soon are hard seltzers, which means for Greg, more time at his true craft, brewing, and less time on arts-and-crafts projects on steroids.

"I’d have 16 on tap if I had the time," he said. "My favorite day here is making a batch of beer.”

They'd like to add a kitchen, which was part of the original business plan — someday. A portion of the front of the building will be remodeled to resemble an old-school firehouse, which is a perfect touch for a firehouse-themed brewery that sports an old fire truck.

Speaking of the fire truck, that’s one of the things that worked out better than expected.

Greg, who started out as a home brewer in 1984, retired from the Rochester Fire Department as a lieutenant.

The 1953 Ward LaFrance fire truck — which now sits in a prominent part of the brewery — was purchased new and went to the old St. Paul St. Station in Rochester, which closed in 1954. The truck — dubbed Engine 14 — and company then moved to headquarters on Chestnut Street downtown, where Borden would eventually work for 22 years.

The truck continued to run out of the station for the next 10 years until it was retired in 1964 and replaced.

Borden happened on it on Craigslist while searching for something else.

"We panned in on the door and realized it was the Engine 14 Rochester plaque," said Borden.

The funny thing is, Kate said, they had been talking for years about buying a fire truck that didn’t run, cutting it in half, mounting it on the wall behind the bar and serving beer out of it.

Their truck was in storage down south for about seven years and none the worse the wear because of it. This fire truck was running and in such good shape that they changed their minds, she said.

"We use it to go get ice cream every now and then," he laughed.

They plan to use food trucks for music and other special events until the kitchen is up and running.

Visitors can enjoy a beer or three out on a massive front porch, a former loading dock that back in the day served as a destination point for trains unloading products.

Soon enough, a stairway will be built that will lead to a spacious grassy area down below, for cornhole matches and just plain relaxing in Adirondack chairs near a fire pit.

Inside, you can marvel at what already has been accomplished.

Many of the features are repurposed materials in use yesteryear. Take, for example, the cooler door, a 120-year-old gem they uncovered in a stone cellar on the complex. Some of the steel torn out from the inside of the building was used to fashion railings.

"It’s really turning a space that was old and useless into something," Greg said. "We’ve pretty much done everything here, trying to blend the fire theme with the old-school industrial theme. We try to create that kind of atmosphere and people really love it."

And they’ve managed to bring a bit of Borden’s old firehouse home with a beat-up Formica kitchen table. At first blush, it seems like nothing special. But maybe Greg will show you the photo of all the firefighters playing cards at the table. Or he will tell you about all the meals they shared at the table he pretty much sat at for 20 years, relishing the good times and supporting each other through the bad.

"If that table could talk," Kate said.

For 30 years, the Bordens had talked about the brewery, waiting for the right space close to their home in Naples. They knew this was the perfect place within five minutes of seeing it, she said. They hope that others find this a fun, family-friendly place to come and hang out, which fits their plan perfectly.

So far, so good on that account.

"Everyone comes in and says how it has such a good vibe to it," Kate said.

Engine 14 Brewery is at 52 West Ave., Building 2, Naples. Hours are 2 to 6 p.m. Mondays; 2 to 8 p.m. Thursdays; noon to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. It's closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

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