Beer and laughs will soon be on tap at this new Ann Arbor business

ANN ARBOR, MI - People in Ann Arbor can get their fill of beer and laughs at a new business opening soon.

Hear.Say Brewing + Theater will bring a mix of an improv theater and a brewery to the former Townies Brewery location at 2350 W. Liberty St.

Co-Founders Tony DeRosa and Jason Tomalia are behind the business that will offer a seven-barrel brewhouse complete with an event space, a food truck, a short-term rental house and a biergarten.

“Our mission is crafting community through joy and laughter,” DeRosa said.

Hear.Say Brewing + Theater plans to start offering improv classes starting the week of Monday, Feb. 26, and will host its first improv show on March 21.

On the comedy side, DeRosa said he has plans to bring in some national talent, host improv shows and offer workshops for people who want to learn more about improv.

The business is opening in phases, DeRosa said, and will likely serve non-alcoholic cocktails and some food options in April as it waits to receive its last set of licensing approvals from the state.

Hear.Say Brewing + Theater ultimately plans to offer beer, wine and spirits, while focusing on offering a full list of non-alcoholic cocktails.

Customers can expect “upscale carnival food,” like Belgian fries, chicken fingers and “fancy” corn dogs, along with theater concessions like truffle popcorn, DeRosa said.

Hear.Say Brewing + Theater’s space will be separated in a way where customers can enjoy a beer without improv and vice versa, if that is what they want.

Tomalia will be the head brewer and brings to the business his experience as co-founder and operator of Pointless Brewery & Theatre, which closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pointless offered a similar concept to what Hear.Say Brewing + Theater plans to bring to Ann Arbor and is actually where DeRosa met Tomalia and began learning about improv.

The two reconnected in 2023 after realizing they wanted to bring the concept back to Ann Arbor.

“We’re essentially doing the same thing, so when I had to close Pointless it felt like there was more to come,” Tomalia said. “This felt kind of like a phoenix rising kind of thing. For the folks that were connected to Pointless, they have a good sense of what’s to come.”

The brewery’s beer selection will be inspired by the West Coast since the co-founders have some ties to California and are “passionate” about bringing these flavors to Ann Arbor, DeRosa said.

“That West Coast style (of beer) is under done,” he said. “We’re going for a more dry and tropical-flavored (selection).”

Ultimately, Hear.Say Brewing + Theater plans to be a spot for people to connect whether they’re into beers, improv or a little bit of both, DeRosa said.

“We’re just trying to be a hub and a third space where you feel really comfortable and there will be a lot of really interesting events and community building happening here,” he said.

Learn more about the new business online or on social media.

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