Gilligans Celebrates Production And Ownership Change

Written By: The Gnarly Gnome
Photography By: The Gnarly Gnome

1/19/25

I love West Side Brewing Company. I love its simplicity, its desire to create traditional beers that are true to style, and the comfort it provides in its taproom. I love it all. When, in November of 2023, the brewery teamed up with the folks behind Ivory House and W Bar and Bistro to open up a new concept called Gilligan’s on the Green – needless to say – I was thrilled.

This new space combined all the things I had fallen in love with at West Side, along with a food program showcasing why the other restaurants had been turning so many heads. It also didn’t hurt that the location in Wyoming is closer to home for me. I’ve loved Gilligans, but it wasn’t without problems.

Does Making The Beer Onsite Matter?

I still like seeing a brewhouse on site when I belly up in a brewery or taproom. I know plenty of taproom spaces around town don’t make a drop of beer onsite, and that’s not the end of the world by any stretch. But there’s still something that feels right to me about a space that makes its own beer and is happy to showcase that to folks drinking that beer.

When Gilligan’s on the Green opened its doors, and I made my first trip out for a pint or two of their beer, I asked about their brewhouse. As it turned out, the brewhouse couldn’t be fired up yet… I was told they were actively working on making it happen, but there were some hiccups in getting everything up and running.

The Spring came, the Summer came… I kept patiently waiting – and while the beer was fantastic, it was all coming from West Side.

Great Food Isn’t Everything

I have another (maybe controversial) take on the Gilligan’s On The Green experience. It was a restaurant. Let me take a step back and preface this: I am not opposed to this idea, and, in fact, I’d say we need even more great restaurants that also have fantastic beer in this city. It just wasn’t really what I wanted Gilligan’s to look like.

I wanted one of two things: a semi-traditional Irish pub experience or a brewpub. And as much as I was enjoying the Gilligan’s experience – that experience wasn’t either of those things.

This wasn’t them doing anything wrong, and I understand that. Gilligan’s on the Green was an excellent restaurant; the people were amazing, the beer was spectacular, and the location was perfect. It wasn’t what I personally needed them to be, though.

The News

Things started to get a little more exciting this winter when we started hearing that after a year of being in business… the brewhouse at Gilligan’s was going to be fired up for the first time.

This was a step towards Gilligan’s transforming itself (or evolving) into the exact thing that I’d been craving – a fully functional, actual brewpub. With the news, I’d hoped that maybe it would start evolving the feeling of the space, as well – just by the natural evolution of things. It was a bit of a longshot, admittedly… but I was holding out hope.

Then, last week came the social media posts and the press releases (that I’m sure you’ve seen our local news outlets writing about…); Gilligan’s on the Green is transitioning itself into “Gilligan’s Brewery.” With this name change also comes a change in ownership. West Side Brewing is taking over full ownership of the space, the brewery, the restaurant… all of it.

What Does All This Mean

In short, the stars are aligning for me to get more of what I wanted to squeeze out of Gilligan’s. The beer will become a focus. The space will get a little more “cozy and comfortable” – it will become the Gilligan’s that I’ve been dreaming about.

The brewhouse is up and running, cranking out traditional Irish and English styles that fit perfectly into the pub atmosphere… We’ll still keep seeing plenty of West Side branded beers on tap. Still, we’ll start seeing many more Gilligan’s beers alongside them.

The food program will get a deep look, too. West Side is still looking into things from what they’re saying to evaluate all the options, but I trust them. They know the experience that has made their taproom over in Westwood a success and what they want Gilligan’s to provide for its community.

They’re going to knock this out of the park. This isn’t a change for Gilligans; it’s not a step in a different direction; it’s a natural evolution for the brand, the space, and the concept.

I’m freaking excited. This is Gnarly.

West Side Brewing Co.


Gilligan’s Brewery (Brewpub)
400 Wyoming Ave
Wyoming, Ohio 45215
For More Information
www.GilligansBrewery.com


West Side Brewery and Taproom
3044 Harrison Ave
Westwood, Ohio 45211
For More Information
www.WestSideBrewing.com

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