Greenbush, Sunset Coast team up to offer trolley service

SAWYER — Tourists from all around come to southwest Michigan to enjoy the wineries and craft breweries that the area has to offer.

Sometimes, though, it can seem like just a little too much of a hassle for area residents to drive down to a different town to enjoy the nightlife, even though making the drive is definitely worth it once they get there.

That is why Greenbush Brewing Company is now offering a bi-monthly, round-trip trolley service from St. Joseph to Sawyer.

“After booking a trolley pub crawl for an event in Chicago recently, it dawned on us that teaming up with the Sunset Coast Trolley Company in St. Joe to essentially be the designated driver transporting groups of people to and from Greenbush on a frequent basis was bound to appeal to a lot of people,” said Greenbush’s marketing director, Jennifer Piotter.

Now, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, guests can catch a trolley at the Maids of the Mist fountain in St. Joseph and ride down to Greenbush Brewing Company. That fountain is located at 200 Lake Blvd., across the street from the Veranda at the Whitcomb.

“It was my idea, and I got in touch with Dave Krock at Sunset Coast Trolley Company,” Piotter said. “We worked with him and Kristin Cornell at Sunset Coast to coordinate it.”

Round-trip tickets for the trolley, which seats 32, cost $15 per person. Those tickets must be purchased in advance from the Sunset Coast Trolley Company website at www.sunsetcoasttrolley.com/events.

Pick-up time is 6:30 p.m. at the fountain, and the trolley will return riders to the fountain at 9:30 p.m.

“It’s a great way to get a few friends together and head down to Greenbush for dinner and some drinks,” Piotter said.

The scenic trip down Red Arrow Highway to the brewery takes about 30 minutes each way.

“You’ll stay at Greenbush for 2 1/2 hours, which is plenty of time to have dinner and enjoy yourselves,” Piotter said. “It’s very leisurely, and you won’t feel rushed at all. We tried to plan this on days when the brewery is not so crowded.”

The cost of the ticket also includes an optional Greenbush growler.

“They usually cost $4 in the taproom, and folks can fill it up on the way home if they want to,” Piotter said.

The dates for upcoming trolley rides are July 8, July 22, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26. More dates may be added if the rides prove to be very popular.

“We just started offering them last Tuesday, and we’re pretty stoked about giving people an easy way to get down to Greenbush without having to worry about driving,” Piotter said. “We sold 17 tickets for the first one.”

More information about the trolley trips can be found on the Greenbush Facebook page under the events tab as well as at www.sunsetcoasttrolley.com/events.