It was a hoot Thursday afternoon as a team from Jackass Brewing Co. swung their way into the heart of downtown Williamsport’s business community.

Skip Kratzer and Larry Winans, the co-owners of what is expected to be a craft beer brewery, bar, restaurant and event venue at the building at the corner of Hepburn and Third streets, took healthy swings with heavy sledge hammers aiming their enthusiasm at the older interior brick wall of what is envisioned to become a bustling business and eatery.

“Safety third,” joked business partners as they laughed before striking the wall, a different kind of ceremony than a typical ground breaking.

Five years ago, they came up with an idea in a Lewisburg basement to bring a full-service craft beer brewery, bar and restaurant to the City of Williamsport, Kratzer said.

A hardhat with the brewery logo on it rests on top of a mallet during a “wall breaking” event at Jackass Brewery on the corner of Hepburn and 3rd St. in downtown Williamsport gives visitors a good view of downtown. The business is under construction and the owners hope to be open by early summer. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Five days later, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed that momentum.

“This is a dream come true,” Winans said. In true Jackass Brewing Co.-fashion the team assembled did what they do best — smash stuff up.

Along for the wall smashing, Jason Fink, CEO and president of the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, wore a bright red hard hat given to him for the occasion. He welcomed the Jackass Brewing Co. staff and said he was hopeful they would have many successful years in Lycoming County and would experience growth along the way.

Nathan White, of Fish Commercial, was given a shout out for his work in the real estate transaction, and former building owner Herm Logue was lauded for his vision and contribution to the facility. T. Ross Brothers Construction personnel were on hand as was Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter and Penn Strategies president Jason Fitzgerald.

On a tour of the building via a working modern elevator, Kratzer spoke a bit about the history of the building which is laden with hardwood floors and ceilings.

The fourth floor of Jackass Brewery on the corner of Hepburn and 3rd St. in downtown Williamsport gives visitors a good view of downtown. The business is under construction and the owners hope to be open by early summer. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The first floor will be the tap room, the bar and the rear side the brewery.

Fermentation processes will be done in the basement.

The elevator works and it takes visitors who don’t want to or can’t use the steps to the second, third and fourth floors.

The second floor will be planned to become a continuation of what is on the first floor, with restaurant service.

The plan is to be open Monday through Sunday with the second floor reserved for the restaurant space for the weekend, Kratzer said.

There is no fifth floor, but rather, a plan to build a rooftop bar, he said.

Most of the windows that provide views of downtown and the surrounding northern sections of the city all the way up to the Grampian Hills are in so that work does not need to be done, Kratzer said.

The business partners also said they want to bring in a bottle shop on the first floor to sell Pennsylvania and locally-crafted beers.

“A to-go area,” Kratzer said. “Customers can get theirs and ours. We wanted to give other Pennsylvania beer makers access to our facility.”

Jackass Brewing Co. was established in Lewisburg, Union County, in 2019, he said.

“The pandemic taught us some lessons,” he said, adding how he and Winans learned how to be flexible, how to adapt and how resilience can be beneficial.

The craft beer process — two of which were sampled in kegs, a darker porter and a lighter IPA — wet whistles and kept conversation flowing at the event.

To make the beer, the brewers take malt barley and it is turned into sugar water — something known as worst — and yeast is added which turns it into the drink that many know and enjoy.

The business partners remarked how the city is on the rebound. It is anticipated that Jackass Brewing Co. will be a rather significant job-producer, with an estimated 70 employees — a mix of full and part-time — to start with hopes to grow that number to at least 100 on the staff, Kratzer said.

The employment figures Kratzer listed do not include the construction workers that are involved in the renovation of the building.

“We want to keep this rustic look,” Kratzer said.

Inside on the first floor, a chandelier will be incorporated into the design.

The location will be accessible from Via Bella, Third and Hepburn streets with a side parking lot as well as being in close proximity to Liberty Arena and other parking garages.

The brewery owners said they anticipate a larger grand opening in early summer.