Iconic Walnut Hills landmark to become city’s first minority-owned brewery

The graffiti-laden building at the corner of East McMillan Street and Gilbert Avenue, which towered above Peebles Corner when it opened in 1931, has been "down in the dumps for about 20 years," Brian Jackson said. The first time they stepped inside, he and marketing partner Marvin Abrinica weren't sure it was the home their company, Esoteric Brewing, needed. "We looked at each other and said, 'Hey, is this even doable, making something out of this space?'" Abrinica recalled. CEO Jackson believed -- and convinced Abrinica -- that they could. He saw the potential for a restoration that moved the space into the future while preserving the art deco aesthetic that made it fashionable in the '30s. He wasn't the only one. When Esoteric Brewing opens in 2019, it will be just one part of a $15-million-plus development meant to reinvigorate the heart of Walnut Hills.