Refillable beer growlers (jugs) have become available at the pharmacy chain Duane Reade and at many locations around Williamsburg/Greenpoint. Photo by Lisette Johnson
By Lisette Johnson
There’s a handful of celebrated brew houses across the country where customers can buy refillable growlers of their favorite tap beer. There’s the Trinity Brewhouse in Providence, RI; Austin, TX is home to the NXNW Restaurant and Brewery; even South Carolina has the Charleston Beer Exchange. And now, right here in Williamsburg, beer snobs and beer geeks alike can snag a refillable growler at the famous Duane Reade brewery. Duane Reade?
The debate over whether chain stores in Williamsburg are good for the neighborhood is nothing new. Indeed, Reverend Billy (a crusader for sustainable consumerism whose 2009 mayoral campaign was endorsed by L Magazine) launched a massive protest in 2001 when it was rumored a Starbucks was opening on Bedford Avenue. For nearly ten years, however, the main drag of the ‘Burg has remained relatively chain-free. Until now. Duane Reade opened a store at the Northside Piers on Kent Avenue in September, and recently a “coming soon” sign from Duane Reade appeared on Bedford and North 3rd Street— right across the street from Kings Pharmacy.