Brewery project breaks ground in downtown Queen Creek

By Janet Perez
Mail | X: @AzNewsmedia

The owners of The Perch Brewery recently broke ground on their new location in downtown Queen Creek.

The pub and restaurant, owned by Rebecca and Ken Lavenue, is set to open in fall 2026 on Munoz Street between Old Ellsworth Road and Ellsworth Loop.

“Locally owned and operated, The Perch will bring jobs, foot traffic and energy to our growing Downtown Core — supporting small business and strengthening our community,” according to a statement from the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce.

In 2023, the Lavenues purchased almost 4 acres of land in the Downtown Core area with the town reporting that initial plans were to build a three-story, 16,000-square-foot brewery and restaurant with the potential for more than 28,000 square feet of restaurant and retail uses. The total construction investment cost is more than $8 million.

“I view Rebecca’s and Ken’s investment in our town as welcome news and what I anticipate will be the first step in attracting boutique retail and dining in a very walkable environment,” stated Queen Creek Council Member Jeff Brown in a text. “It won’t be overnight, but it is definitely a step in that direction.”

The Perch Brewery has locations in Gilbert and Chandler.

Originally, construction on the Queen Creek project was to start in January 2024 with completion set for July 2025, according to town documents.

Earlier this year, the town’s economic development director, Doreen Cott, said the owners were trying to finalize financing.

“Financing has been one of those things that we’ve had several developers talk to us about,” Cott told the town council in April. “It’s a difficult time right now and things are taking a little bit longer, but patience is key, and we know that this will get off and running soon.”

The Perch Brewery will benefit from more than $1.6 million in public infrastructure the town is building in the area.

• the northside road improvements to Munoz Street such as landscaping, sidewalks, lighting and parking;
  
  
• eastside road improvements for the Duncan Street/Summers Place area;
  
  
• and a public utility water loop line that will be built across The Perch property line and serve additional businesses in the area.

“Ongoing sales tax revenue from the restaurant and retail developments is estimated to be about $90,000 per year. In addition, other private development investments could occur nearby in the near future and overall, the downtown area could see increased sales tax revenues and activity,” according to a town staff report.

In return, the owners would:

• Convey to the town a special warranty deed at no cost to Queen Creek for the real property needed for the roadway improvements.

• Grant to town, at no cost, a perpetual easement for public utility purposes.

• Commit that all restaurant and retail uses within the project are required to be “specialty” uses.

Under Queen Creek’s Downtown Core development plan, the area “should not be a typical commercial strip mall environment that is made up of ‘big-box’ commercial chain stores and/or drive-thru restaurants.”

The Downtown Core is also “envisioned to become a destination that focuses on pedestrian oriented, compact development that is integrated with more specialty uses related to retail, dining, entertainment, services, residences and recreation,” according to the plan.

“Residents have been telling me for the past decade that they want to see some progress in the vision of a walkable Downtown Core,” Brown stated. “They’ve talked repeatedly about having a place where they could dine and hear live music and many have expressed an interest for some weekend dancing.”

Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines. Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org.

Janet Perez
News Editor | Queen Creek & San Tan Valley

jperez@iniusa.org

Meet Janet
Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State  University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.

Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.

Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science. 

Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.  

Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.