NILES — Brian French said he and his friend, Brandon Townsley, consider themselves “Niles guys.” They are 2004 graduates of Niles High School. They have leadership positions at Niles-based businesses, and they both want to help their community grow.

So, the two have paired up to leave their mark, in this case, paint strokes, on their city.

French is creating a Niles-themed mural inside Townsley’s upcoming downtown business, Niles Brewing Company, 206 E. Main St.

Right now, the brewery is in a state of transference. Walls have been torn to expose original brick. Booths are being replaced by leaner, more comfortable seating. Equipment for beer brewing has been set up — painstakingly, Townsley said — in a “mess” of a basement.

A section of wall where French’s mural will be is also in the process of transference. Penciling and primary painting read, “Greetings From Niles, Michigan,” and, “City of Four Flags.”

“We kind of intentionally picked this spot in the wall with its craters and the craziness because it’s going to give it that cool, rugged, rough look,” French said. “So, it’s going to look like it’s been here for a while, that we didn’t just plaster it up. We didn’t want it to look like a sticker on a wall.”

Instead, French and Townsley hope the mural’s font and structure will look like a side on an old-school postcard. A half-century ago, people would purchase postcards of the cities they visited, spreading the city’s notoriety with others through mail.

Now, the Niles residents hope to spread Niles’ and the brewery’s presence with photos taken by customers in front of the mural.

The brewery’s logo, which French also created, ties into Townsley’s efforts to put his business and his city on the map, too. It features a map of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and a hop plant, which is used for making beers, where Niles is located.

The mural also serves as a merger of new and old, French and Townsley said, something Niles Brewing Company and other downtown businesses are doing.

“There’s a lot of new mixing in with the old,” French said. “It’s the old buildings with new ideas and new thoughts in them.”

The name Niles Brewing Company ended up being an homage Niles’ history itself. French said a city employee discovered that a brewery of the same name existed in Niles before Prohibition closed it down in the early 1900s.

About 100 years later, Townsley said he is making strong, careful progress on his business, not specifying any planned opening dates to ensure top quality. While he builds, however, his ideas for his venture continue to pile up.

“I have a treasure trove of stuff that I can’t say just yet, but it’ll be awesome once it’s ready to be unveiled,” he said. “I’m like five years ahead of myself.”

The closest peek at the brewery area residents had was on Small Business Saturday. People could stop by the brewery, purchase apparel and make suggestions on types of beer they would like to see.

“Everyone’s super excited, which is very humbling and exciting for myself, because it also adds a little bit of pressure to try not to screw up,” Townsley said.

Townsley did share his plans for food. An appetizer menu will be provided, as well as designated menus from local restaurants. Niles Brewing Company customers can order an outside restaurant’s meal in-house, then the brewery will pick it up and serve it.

Plans to incorporate flavorings from nearby businesses in beers are also planned.

Townsley said a constant word in his business vocabulary is “synergy.” He considers himself a team player, and he is appreciative of the people, businesses and organizations that are willing to boost each other   up and help. He wants to return the favors.

He is also appreciative of French, who encouraged him to pursue Niles Brewing Company four to five years ago.

French, with a chuckle, said he is appreciative that Townsely would let him, of all people, create a mural.