The Daily Growler to Open its 4th Location at Polaris Fashion Place

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Central Ohio’s premier lifestyle destination for retail, dining and entertainment, Polaris Fashion Place, and The Daily Growler, the best craft beer bar in Columbus, today announced that The Daily Growler will open its fourth location at the town center. Included in Washington Prime Group’s Tier One enclosed retail portfolio, Polaris Fashion Place is a dominant, hybrid town center located in Columbus,Ohio.

The Daily Growler, voted "Best Growler Fill Spot" for the sixth year in a row by Columbus Alive and 614 Columbus, and named "Best Craft Beer Bar in Columbus" by The BrewDog Network’s “The BrewDog Show,” will be located in the food hall at Polaris Fashion Place, which is located near Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream on the town center’s upper level.

Lou Conforti, CEO and Director of Washington Prime Group: “First, I haven’t met John W. Blakely yet, but how can you not love a guy who, in similar fashion to Herbert Hoover’s poultry reference, envisions a ‘Daily Growler in every food court’? Second, apologies to Milton Friedman, et. al. albeit I did the math and six consecutive Best Columbus Growler Fill Spot awards are equal to 1.78 Nobel Prizes. Third, kudos to our local management and leasing team who sought out a differentiated concept and executed accordingly. As I have said time after time, imbuing our assets with local flavor (pun intended) alongside stalwart regional and national tenants is a differentiating factor and furthers our dominant secondary marketplace mandate. Sláinte!”

John W. Blakely, Co-owner of The Daily Growler stated: "We had long thought a food court setting would be a great location for The Daily Growler, but it never seemed plausible for a small, family business – until now. We were thrilled when Washington Prime Group reached out to us, and we believe their goal to partner with smaller, local businesses is a huge differentiator for Polaris Fashion Place.”

Blakely added: “We look at this as a game changer both for Polaris Fashion Place and The Daily Growler. If this concept proves successful, my kids may grow up in a world never having known food courts didn't always have Daily Growlers. When I found out they were putting a brewery in Disneyland, I knew the world was ready for The Daily Growler in the food court!”

The Daily Growler also announced that it will be brewing a collaboration beer with Hoof Hearted Brewing, a Columbus-based brewery, nationally recognized as one of the best breweries in America, to commemorate the opening of The Daily Growler Polaris. The beer, called Mall Rāz, is a raspberry ale that will only be available at The Daily Growler and Hoof Hearted in both package and draft.

The Daily Growler is working with Columbus, Ohio-based architect Mark Ours of Mode Architects to design its Polaris Fashion Place location.

The Daily Growler opened its first craft beer bar, which fills samples, pints and growlers from dozens of craft beer taps, in Upper Arlington, Ohio, in 2012 and followed that with a Powell, Ohio, location in 2014. Their third location in the revitalized South High Street area of German Village opened in the Brewery District in 2017. The Daily Growler, Ohio's first growler bar (maybe the first in the country) is a true family-owned business, opened by John R. & Delores Blakely and their son, John W. Blakely. They found a great formula for success with “Fast, Casual, Beer” that combined on-site drinking with Growler and Crowlers to go.

Washington Prime Group, the parent company of Polaris Fashion Place, is executing its strategy of adding more lifestyle tenancy as a key element to enhancing the guest experience, driving guest traffic and extending duration of visits to its town centers. Lifestyle tenancy includes food and beverages, entertainment, home furnishings, grocery, fitness, wellness and beauty services. As of August 31, 2018, the Company has leased over 2.7 million square feet throughout its total portfolio, which includes inline and anchor space, of which 64% of new leasing activity was to lifestyle tenancy.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Kimberly A. Green, VP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Washington Prime Group, (614) 887-5647 or kim.green@washingtonprime.com

John W. Blakely at The Daily Growler, (614) 571-9059 or jwb@thedailygrowler.com

About The Daily Growler
The Daily Growler is a celebration of fresh craft beers. We have 60 beers on draft, all available for on-site enjoyment or to take home in one of our glass Growlers. We’ve made a commitment to ourselves and to our customers to serve only the best and freshest beer available, with a focus on local and regional microbreweries. For more information, visit www.thedailygrowler.com.

About Polaris^® Fashion Place
Polaris Fashion Place is Central Ohio’s premier lifestyle destination offering market-exclusive brands and locally-owned specialty shops to more than two million locals and tourists alike. Polaris Fashion Place also hosts more than 75 events a year including: Live@Polaris, KidX Club, Mommy Mile, the Easter Bunny and Santa Photo Set. The town center is home to more than 190 national and local retail, dining and entertainment options. A dynamic offering of things to do along with things to buy keeps guests engaged and returning often.

About Washington Prime Group
Washington Prime Group Inc. is a retail REIT and a recognized leader in the ownership, management, acquisition and development of retail properties. The Company combines a national real estate portfolio with an investment grade balance sheet, leveraging its expertise across the entire shopping center sector to increase cash flow through rigorous management of assets and provide new opportunities to retailers looking for growth throughout the U.S. Washington Prime Group® is a registered trademark of the Company. Learn more at www.washingtonprime.com.