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Be In Abilene Awards $200,000 To Boost Brewing And Bed Building

Austin Gurchiek
/
KACU
Be In Abilene awards Sockdolager Brewing Company and Unique Kids Beds $100,000 each

Sockdolager Brewing Company and Unique Kids Beds each claimed half of the $200,000 prize money handed out in the second annual BE in Abilene competition. Local businesses in Abilene enter the competition hoping to receive an infusion of cash to grow their operations. Of the five finalists, two rose to the top, each taking home a six digit prize, which they will invest in their businesses. 

The prize money comes from the Development Corporation of Abilene, which seeks to build entrepreneurs in Abilene.  Justin Jowarski, is the Executive Director of the Abilene Industrial Foundation, and one of the organizers for the competition.  Jowarski says that organizers streamlined the process for the businesses this year. "I think our focal point this year was to be more beneficial to the businesses, take less time for them to get through the competition."  He said the process worked better for the partners as well.  And Jowarski said they're "thrilled" that they had two businesses that fit the qualifications well and are trying to make something in Abilene, Texas.

Credit Austin Gurchiek / KACU
/
KACU
Sockdolager Brewing Company: James Bridwell, Will Meiron, Alex Nicolato, Pat & Mitchell Harris.

One of those companies is Sockdolager Brewing Company.  Sockdolager is the second brewery to win in the competition.  Pappy Slokum Brewing Company took home one of last year’s prizes.  Sockdolager has had to turn down contracts in San Angelo because they weren't able to meet the demand.  James Bridwell, one of the head brewers at Sockdolager, says they have reached capacity with their current equipment. Bridwell says they're current four barrel system is creating their limitations.

"So what we're gonna do is get a brewhouse double that size, fermenters double the size of what we're currently using, bright tanks double the size of what we're currently using.  Just getting the equipment we need so that we can really ramp up production so that we can start looking at outside markets."

The other winner, Unique Kids Beds, makes beds that also function as play places for children.  Owners Lindsay and George Colvin currently handle the building, sales, and shipping of their products. Lindsay Colvin says they want to hire people to handle the building and the shipping so she and her husband can focus on sales, "We plan to transition to an automated system, which is a C&C machine.  Jordan, our programmer, will program all the designs into it and the machine will do the actual cutting."  Colvin says they plan to hire an additional three to five employees to help them get the beds sanded and crated.

George Colvin says 99% of their business is exported out of Abilene which brings money into Abilene without taking money from it.

Credit Austin Gurchiek / KACU
/
KACU
Abilene Industrial Foundation's Justin Jaworski presents Lindsay and George Colvin a $100,000 prize to invest in Unique Kids Beds.

The prizes come with business-mentoring and also timelines for making the planned investments.  Sockdolager Brewing Company and Unique Kids beds will report regularly to the Development Corporation of Abilene on their progress. 

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