OUR TOWN
story by Aleigha Dixon photos by Jakob Burnham design by Meredith Massey
NEw in town Walking around downtown Ellensburg, there are businesses that have been here for decades, buildings over 100 years old, and locals who have lived their whole lives here. However, as college students bring new ideas and culture to the ever-changing and evolving small town, local businesses are doing the same. From toys and collectibles to breweries and burritos, Ellensburg is a place to find new businesses booming all around.
ENCHANTMENT BREWING
This brewery is one of the fresh faces on Main Street. Located in the heart of downtown, they opened in October 2022. Founder and owner, Darren Nelson attributes his inspiration to the Enchantment mountain range located near Leavenworth and his Oregonian upbringing surrounded by local breweries and nature. A sense of the future began in Nelson when he was in high school, “I kind of just had that idea in the back of my head that it’d be really cool to have a brewery . . . from the days when in the late 90s I was stocking beer on the shelf at the grocery store.” Not only was the influence there, but as a beginner, brewing came naturally to Nelson. Nelson recalls his first batch of beer in 2010, “It came out pretty good. Everybody that was trying it, was liking it”. This gave him confidence to continue, “And I was just like, ‘okay, maybe I could do this’.” 8
SPRING 2023