The Former Garfield Brewery Will Reopen as Big Lug Filling Station

The patio at 2310 Shelby Street will be open this Summer after all. After an announcement on January 3rd that Garfield Brewery would be closing their doors after nearly a decade of operation, the future felt uncertain for the former filling station turned neighborhood hot spot. But earlier this week, Sahm’s Hospitality Group announced that they’d be taking over and reopening the former Garfield Brewery as Big Lug Filling Station. 

Big Lug Filling Station will continue to serve locally brewed beer on tap and offer patio seating on summer days. They also plan on offering a full restaurant menu, complete with favorites from other Big Lug locations and seasonal specials.

Big Lug Canteen and Big Lug Brewing have already established themselves as popular spots on Indy’s northside, with Big Lug’s cans making their way into coolers across the city. This year, they even made their way into a specialty cocktail at Gather 22. But Garfield Park is a neighborhood close to the heart of owner Eddie Sahm, who saw the Shelby Street location as an opportunity to serve a community that already means a lot to his family. 

“Garfield Park has always had a special place in my family’s heart. My grandfather, who was the head of the CYO [Catholic Youth Organization] before he passed, held one-act plays in Garfield Park for the Indianapolis school.”

Sahm said the Filling Station should be open in time for Memorial Day weekend.  They plan on occasionally working with a few former Garfield Brewery team members to “give homage to the community they built and keep local beer collaborative.”

“Our mission statement is simple. “Feeding the Community.” When Garfield Brewery closed, we knew there was going to be a gap in the community for a 3rd space that people really valued,” said Sahm. “To be able to help keep the community thriving alongside the other restaurants in the community is what this business is all about.”

To see the latest on Big Lug Filling Station, follow the reopening journey on Instagram @biglugfillingstation or visit biglugfillingstation.com .