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Navigation Brewing Co., located at 122 Western Avenue in Lowell, is currently in the process of applying for licenses to get a Chelmsford location up and running by the end of summer, according to co-owner and brewer PJ Mercier, who jokes that his job title at Navigation actually is "everything under the sun."
The brewery is known for keeping its offerings fresh, brewing and rotating different beer varieties including IPAs, stouts, pilsners, pale ales, and German beers.
It is hard for Mercier to pick a favorite, but he says that he especially enjoys the brewery's Helles Pilsner, or its New England-style Compass Rose IPA.
The new brewery location will be located at 15 Central Square, near the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. The building previously housed Chelmsford Gift & Card Shop, but the owner of that business needed a smaller space and is moving to a new location nearby.
The town of Chelmsford originally reached out to Navigation about opening a Chelmsford location before the pandemic, Mercier said, but the town's and the brewery's visions for what the location would look like did not pan out.
Navigation and the town of Chelmsford parted on good terms, Mercier said, and when the town reached out to the brewery recently, the stars aligned.
"We're a neighborhood brewery in Lowell, we're going to be a neighborhood brewery in Chelmsford," said Mercier, who believes in staying involved with the community.
Navigation plans to keep many of the aspects of its original taproom, including welcoming all types of guests (and their dogs), trivia nights, local food truck features, and special holiday events.
The Chelmsford location will also get some special additions, in the form of live music and weekly runs and bike rides to take advantage of its proximity to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.
Navigation's team is thrilled at the prospect of a new location, Mercier said.
"A rising tide lifts all ships," he said.
To stay up-to-date with the status of the Chelmsford location, keep an eye out for updates on Navigation's Facebook page.
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