Loved ones looking for new brewery proprietor after developer's death

It hadn’t taken long for Steve Tranzow to find a place for his passion in Port Huron — a new home where his father already had roots and the site for a waterfront brewery he’d hoped to open this winter.

But just a few weeks after his sudden death this month, loved ones hope to find a new proprietor interested in taking the reins where Tranzow left off for the operation of Desmond Depot Brewhouse, located at 210 Court St. by Vantage Point.

Tranzow died in Port Huron on March 1 at the age of 52.

“We were hoping that he’d be open soon, and he was about 75 to 85% done,” said Mike Delong, vice president of operations for Acheson Ventures, which sold the old depot building to Tranzow last year.

“… He was close. He had equipment showing up to make beer, and he was there. It was just a matter of putting the corner pieces of the puzzle together.”

“He came to Port Huron because his father lived here as a child,” Delong said of Tranzow. “He was part of our little family here. So, it’s very sad — he was a good friend of mine. It’s so fresh, but we’re going to try to find somebody else who maybe wants to open a brewery."

Father looks to keep his son's legacy alive

Work began last summer on the depot. Liquor license applications were submitted to the state, and an online presence was set with a preview menu of mainline and specialty beers that could be on tap.

Now the owner of the depot property, Frank Tranzow, Steve’s father, said there was evidence that his son was working — his laptop later discovered to be open and asleep — when he suffered a heart attack.

According to his obituary, the 52-year-old had lived in different areas around the U.S. before lastly living and working in craft beer in Colorado.

Last year, Steve Tranzow told the Times Herald that the connection he found in Port Huron through his father and the view of the St. Clair River was a big selling point to redevelop the depot property.

While driving back to Colorado from Michigan late last week, Frank Tranzow recalled getting a call from Steve in late 2021, initiating the conversation that later led to the depot sale from Acheson.

His son “wanted a brewery that would accommodate gatherings,” he said, and give beer enthusiasts a unique place to relax and refresh “down there near the water.”

Frank Tranzow called the Acheson organization a “wonderful aid” to the Tranzows’ project. Moving forward, he said they’re looking for someone interested in making the brewery a success.

He added he was flexible in selling the property or leasing it out until a deal could be struck — in addition to a couple of other boxes they hoped the next developer could check.

“I’m not looking to make money off this. I would like to see my son’s legacy perpetuated,” Frank Tranzow said. “… Hopefully, they have some experience in the brewing business and (an) association with the Port Huron or Blue Water community.”

Some work remains for Desmond Depot's next developer

Frank Tranzow said much of the work that remains on-site at 210 Court St. lies in the details. There were small areas of electrical and plumbing work, placement of brewing equipment, and a lot of final décor.

But some things like cabinetry, which is done, remained unfinished — the sort of thing, Tranzow said, they’d leave up to the next developer.

Tranzow said they’d also help connect the next proprietor with his son’s connections to help make the brewhouse a success.

“The site is unbelievable from a market point of view,” he said.

That also included potential beer recipes, Frank said, adding, “Steve was involved with a brewery from Colorado for over 10 years. We have access to some of their recipes, so we’d hit the ground running in terms of six of seven brews that could be part of the acquisition.”

As of Friday, Frank Tranzow said he’d talked to a couple of interested parties already.

Delong encouraged others looking to learn more to reach out to him through Acheson Ventures at (810) 966-0900.

Like Steve’s father, Delong said he hoped it be a good opportunity to remember his friend.

“He’s lived all over the place, but (in) the found home here (he) was starting to get to know people. And was just so excited about being part of Port Huron, the growth, and opening the brewery,” he said “… But he was just a jolly guy, a good guy, definitely knew his beer, and he was wanting to be part of the community, part of the fabric. He would’ve been, for sure, because he was an easy going guy, easy to know.”

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.