“Crafting Beer & Community” is the idea that drives Drift Prairie Brewing Company. Launched almost two years ago now, the mission is to provide a family-friendly gathering space unlike any other in town that encourages conversation and connections. Owned by Nick Bruns and Emma Kleingartner, Drift Prairie was a pipe dream that finally gained traction and took off after years of shaping. “Whatever we do, we want to do it well,” Nick stated.
Nick explained their vision was to fill a need for young families in Jamestown and the surrounding communities by creating a space to gather and feel welcome, while connecting over food and drinks. “We recognized an opportunity to bring this type of space to Jamestown, realizing it was a way to help move the community forward,” Nick described. The goal was for the space to feel unique and fresh, yet comfortable and casual.
You’ll notice inside the establishment there are no TVs for entertainment, just games, to encourage “disconnecting” from technology, fostering personal connections. You’ll also notice there is ample seating space inside, almost too much seating, which is intentional. “We want to encourage people to stay and hang out as long as they want without feeling like they’re taking someone else’s spot,” Nick said. To further accommodate families, they created a ‘kid corner’, complete with games and activities to keep children entertained. “Another benefit to having the extra space is the opportunity for businesses and organizations to use the back seating area to host company events or group gatherings. We can do a custom menu for your event to create a fun evening where we do the cooking,” Nick added.
Emma, the kitchen expert and menu creator, wanted to keep things “fresh and different” when crafting the food menu. “We agreed from the beginning the kitchen would be greaseless and fry-less, which has been a challenge,” Emma explained. “Staples with a twist” is how she describes the menu items at Drift Prairie. An unexpected addition to the menu is the lavosh, in which they offer a variety of unique toppings and flavors. “The lavosh is a nod to Lil’s restaurant that has nostalgia for us,” Emma said, which was a staple in Jamestown years ago.
The brewery is a large part of the business and has already expanded since opening. John Rose, head brewer, has a passion for brewing new and exciting flavors, like pickle-infused beer and strawberry hard lemonade. However, to fill the need of something more simple, John has come up with what they call “Basic Beer” to satisfy those that just want something simple and light. The Drift Prairie Root Beer is also a favorite around town.
Like the unique atmosphere, food and drink offerings, Drift Prairie operates differently than most restaurants in town. Embracing technology, an unconventional ordering system is utilized and completely electronic. Customers can order and pay directly at the table, eliminating disruption from a server. This also maximizes the utilization of staff, making the process extremely efficient. “If we didn’t have the internet we wouldn’t be able to operate. Our point-of-sale system and table ordering are all connected with Dakota Central internet,” Nick said. The electronic ordering system creates efficiencies, like speeding up orders and again, utilizing staff as efficiently as possible.
Despite overcoming challenges, Nick and Emma agree that the launch of Drift Prairie has been a positive journey thus far, and they’re excited for what’s to come. The connections they’ve made along with hearing about customer’s favorite food and drinks are part of what they enjoy most about running the business. Future plans for Drift Prairie include a menu expansion based on customer feedback, distribution of cans and kegs and getting involved with local community partnerships.
