THE BREW CREW

It was 2007 and the start of the craft beer boom in Denver, Colorado. Ali & Jon Hovan, who had taken up brewing at home, began gathering with a group of friends, affectionately known as the “Brew Crew,” to brew and taste together. (Several other members of the Brew Crew would also go on to have careers in the brewing industry. What a team!)

LEARNING THE CRAFTS

The two immersed themselves in brewing, volunteering at festivals, and trying new techniques with the Brew Crew. They dreamt of opening their own brewery one day. Both teachers, Ali and Jon understood the value of education. They realized that if their “one-day” brewery were ever to happen, they would need some professional training in beer and business. Jon started “Beer School,” an intensive, year-long training program from The American Brewers Guild, and Ali enrolled in a Small Business Start-Up program to begin work on their business plan. 

During the course, Ali visited their Denver library. She needed reputable research sources for their plan – sources that Google couldn’t provide. Ali met with a librarian who showed her the library’s online databases and helped her find the right ones for her research. (You can find the Cuyahoga Falls Library’s research resources here or chat with a librarian online or in-person.)

HiHO, OHIO!

Originally from Hudson, the Hovans returned to Ohio in 2015 to pursue opening their brewery. Thanks to their research, they knew the closest breweries were in Cleveland, so there was no local competition. 

The two began scouting locations and found the right fit in Cuyahoga Falls. “The city was a big help,” Jon recalls. “They wanted us as much as we wanted them.” Together, they turned an abandoned 1920s car dealership on Front Street into a gem along the Cuyahoga River. When HiHO opened in 2017, it became the first brewery in Cuyahoga Falls and one of only a few in the state. Ohio now has over 300! You can check out Ali’s pick for reading about the local history of brewing here: “Akron Beer: a history of brewing in the rubber city” by Robert A. Musson, MD.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The inside of HiHO has been crafted with as much care as the beer. The open yet welcoming space brings unlikely pieces together in a way that hints at Ali’s art teacher roots. 

Ali and Jon are also committed to sustainability – right down to the furniture. Most of the rustic tables and bars were reclaimed from local sources. The riverside bar is made from stadium seats originally from Hoban High School. And if the wood pattern on the shelf behind the bar reminds you of a bowling alley floor, you’re right! Some of the tables are even made with wood from Ali’s parents’ deck.

MENU

HiHO features 15 beers on tap and just released an Irish Red Ale and a Tart Cherry Kolsch. Their menu also features new pizzas each month. Visitors can eat inside or outside on the patio (when the weather cooperates).