Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I I N O. V I M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 2 6 12 ainebiz: Can you describe the Hancock Street building when you first acquired it? What was the neighborhood like? Fred Forsley: At the time it was seven different buildings, a little over four acres … We tore down three buildings. We had to clean up the property. We probably took away, I'm guessing, 60 30-yard contain- ers full of debris. e neighborhood was, you had the Village Cafe, which was great, but other than that there Known for brewing, with a talent in real estate Fred Forsley helped make Maine a craft brewing hub — and a destination B y P e t e r V a n A l l e n LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Fred Forsley Founder, Shipyard Brewing Fred Forsley's Shipyard Brewing was a pioneer in a number of ways. It was part of the first wave of craft brewers, dating to the mid-1990s, following Geary's. Shipyard also helped spark the revival of Portland's East End, moving into a former factory site on Hancock Street. Forsley and brewmaster Alan Pugsley started Kennebunkport Brewing Co. and Federal Jack's brewpub in Kennebunk in 1992, then launched Shipyard in 1993. Later, Forsley took over one of Maine's original brewpubs, Sea Dog Brewing. And still later, Forsley led the development of a hotel on Hancock Street. While he's been known in the brewing industry, his background has been equally as strong on the real estate development side. Fun fact: Forsley was featured in a story in the very first issue of Mainebiz, in 1994 (when the publication was known as Biz). C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 1 4 » M P H O T O / P ROV I D E D B Y S H I P YA R D B R E W I N G

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