Five Farmville residents are tapping into what they say is an unmet need downtown.

John Dudley, Christopher Sadler, Keith Rider and Gary Elder recently signed a lease with Matt King, owner of Walk2Campus, to set up a new brewery in the bottom floor of what used to be the Southern States building on West Third Street.

With each of the five men providing a different area of expertise, they are confident in the brewery’s operations. Rider, a chemist, has been brewing beer for decades, Dudley said. Elder, an attorney, will assist with legal expertise. Sadler will help manage much of the business aspects, while his son, Miles, will be in charge of entertainment. Dudley manages social media.

The space on West Third Street will be converted during the next year to house the brewery, in addition to 36 apartments Walk2Campus is constructing on the top floors.

According to Christopher Sadler, the group has been discussing this idea for about a year and a half, but waited for this location because “it’s worth it.”

The brewery will have an indoor bar and an outdoor beer garden, located between the building and High Bridge Trail.

They plan on providing five or six regular beers, ranging from a pale ale to a stout and including an India pale ale, or IPA. There will also be seasonal or specialty beers, Dudley said.

“We think that we can be self sustainable and profitable and just do a seven-bottle system, and if we brew twice a week that’s 500-600 barrels a year, which is plenty,” Sadler said.

The brewery won’t serve food, but they do plan on providing opportunities for food to be delivered to the space and are considering bringing in food trucks.

“The whole thing is supposed to be a place where people can gather,” said Sadler. “You’ve got college students, you’ve got professionals, you’ve got construction workers.”

“If somebody wants to come out here and wants a pint of beer and to sit on their computer they can do that, but also the beer garden allows you to bring your kids and play games, so mom and dad can have a beer while kids run around in the garden,” he said.

The brewery will be comfortable, comparable to a coffee shop, Dudley said.

Sadler said the group was inspired by British pub culture, and would like for people from all walks of life to come together in the brewery. The group also wants to bring in live entertainment, as well as hosting events like poetry readings and providing games for guests to play.

“People are always looking for another fun thing to do and hopefully this will quickly become another item on their short list,” Dudley said.

Sadler said they are aiming to open the brewery by next July. The upper apartments are slated to be ready that August, he said. Sadler said they would like to see the brewery in full operation with the start of the 2017-18 school year.

Christopher and Miles Sadler, and Dudley, said they’ve received support from the community.

They plan to crowdfund to help bring in community involvement, Christopher Sadler said.

Miles Sadler said he hopes, “this becomes a hoppin venue for new people, for people who are established in the music scene in Farmville and surrounding areas.”