\u201cThis was Tommy\u2019s baby,\u201d Elise said. \u201cWe all three found this location about a year after looking into opening. \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The family members turned business partners opened the brewery in 2016 and is now a beloved indoor-outdoor brewery just a few blocks from the wealthy Montlake neighborhood in Seattle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s known for beers on tap, private events, and food truck ventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the Ransoms first started Ravenna Brewing, many people looked past Tommy when asking for the owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was a surprise for people when they found out I was the one making all the beer,\u201d Tommy said. \u201cYou get a little of that in Seattle, but not a lot. People are more accepting here compared to other places in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 2021 survey by the Brewers Association found that 93.5% of brewery owners identified as white and 2.2% as Hispanic. Additionally, that same survey found that over 75% of the respondents were male, with less than 25% female. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tommy works heavily in the production side of the business, a role that has been critical throughout Ravenna Brewing\u2019s tenure, overseeing the expansions and general maintenance of the building. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elise does all of the brewery’s graphic design, such as creating labels for all of its beer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The main bar in Ravenna Brewing.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Photography:<\/strong> Isabella Craig<\/p>\n\n\n\n Raveena Brewing has around 15 ciders and beers on tap, including IPAs, lagers, pilsners, Photography:<\/strong> Isabella Craig<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, Bud is seen as the brewery’s \u201cSwiss army knife\u201d and the fixer of all things; he also takes care of the brewery\u2019s finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are all still very entrenched in the day-to-day operations of the brewery,\u201d Tommy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the brewery\u2019s initial success, the pandemic posed a new set of challenges, with many small businesses facing the imminent danger of closing. Although a minority in the field of breweries, the owners found that the beer factory\u2019s unique traits paid off during COVID and played an integral role in its survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDuring COVID, we had to apply for several loans that we needed to survive,\u201d Tommy said. \u201cAt times, they were prioritizing Latino-owned businesses, and we were able to reap the benefits of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because Tommy\u2019s wife Elise is part owner, they could also apply for women-owned business loans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The support from the community, however, reached even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDuring the hard economic times that hit during the pandemic, the neighborhood stood up,\u201d Tommy said. \u201cThey raised their hands and went up to bat for us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The owners believe the main thing that sets them apart from their competitors is who they choose to hire and how they treat their employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn order to ensure that everyone could get a paycheck we laid everyone off so that they could get unemployment checks,\u201d Elise said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The initial plan was that the three owners would continue conducting business alone. However, within the day after laying off their employees, they realized that they were getting far too many customers for the three of them to handle, so the owners said all of their employees were hired back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the unpredictable times presented by the pandemic, the average time that employees work at Ravenna Brewing is still between three and four years, which is considered a long time in the industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe pay them well, above industry standards (with industry standards being around $21\/hour),\u201d Tommy said. \u201cThey have dental and health benefits here, so they don\u2019t necessarily have to go anywhere else as long as we are paying them well and treating them well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ravenna Brewing owners also prioritize creating an environment where people from all different backgrounds and walks of life can succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s been great. There are zero barriers to entry or advancement,\u201d head brewer Audra Johansen said. \u201cThis is unusual, especially in a super male-dominated industry. They kind of just let me run with everything, and they trusted me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Johansen was hired as a lead brewer five years ago and is now one of the company’s women in a leadership role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The owners of Ravenna Brewing said the brewery’s success has been based on its embrace of differences among employees and customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSuccessful businesses can be run by women. Successful businesses can be run by people in the LGBTQ+ community,\u201d Tommy said. \u201cPeople that work at the brewery are in positions of power that can shape what this business looks like. We like to empower people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Isabella Craig is a graduating senior at the University of Washington with a degree in journalism and English. Born and raised in Washington, she is passionate about writing on culture and community\u2013highlighting our diverse world.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tess Kadian is in her final quarter at the University of Washington and is graduating with a degree in journalism while also having accumulated pre-medical requirements throughout her time at UW. Tess is passionate about writing and science and hopes to pursue a career where she can channel both interests<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cWe like to empower people,\u201d brewery co-owner Tommy Ransom said. 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ales, stouts and more.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-02-at-8.11.40-PM-1024x690.png\")
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