Plan a Visit

The Plant is an active food production facility, with only limited hours open to the public. That said, there’s plenty of ways to enjoy a visit; see our event calendar and read on for more details!

— WHINER BEER COMPANY’S TAPROOM —

Stop in to Whiner Beer Co.’s taproom to enjoy your fave beers on Thurs. + Fri. 4pm-11pm, Sat. noon-11pm, and Sun. noon-8pm. Heffer BBQ’s Mexican-inspired Texas barbecue is available Thurs + Fri. 4-9pm, Sat. noon-8pm, and Sun. noon-6pm, or earlier as they sell out.

MeetStop by Ste. Martaen pops up in the taproom on occasional Fridays with their vegan f*sh fry and Sundays with brunch; follow their socials for full details.

While the building is typically closed to the public during regular Whiner Beer Co. hours, stopping into the taproom is a great way to—literally—get a taste of what goes on at The Plant. Sample Whiner's delightful brews made right here inside The Plant. Be sure to take a peek at the research and demonstration projects located on the ground floor, including Bubbly Dynamics’ graywater wetland project and CO2 capture line in the lobby.

— THE TURTLE STOP —

The Turtle Stop offers a variety of products made and grown at The Plant and at Bubbly, everyday grocery and cleaning essentials, gifts, and more. Generally, we’re open on Tues., Wed., and Fri. from 9am-4pm, and during evening and weekend events as noted on our calendar above. Feel free to contact us at info@bubblydynamics.com with any questions.

— PACKINGTOWN MUSEUM —

The mission of the Packingtown Museum is to preserve, interpret and present the industrial history and cultural heritage of Chicago’s Union Stock Yard and surrounding neighborhoods. 

The Packingtown Museum provides a unique opportunity to connect Chicago’s industrial past to its future and inform contemporary conversations about labor, immigration, food production, community development and the economy. 

The Museum is open for visitors as listed in the calendar below, and feel free to contact us with questions or to arrange a visit. Additional information is available at the Packingtown Museum’s website.

— TOURS OF THE PLANT —

Take a behind-the-scenes tour from the perspective of the founder and the design team behind The Plant. Come learn about Bubbly Dynamics’ creative approaches to reimagine what is conventionally considered "waste" as a valuable asset and see how tenant businesses collaborate and create amazing food products while striving to increase efficiencies of all types.

Tours of The Plant are currently being held on *select* Sundays at 2pm as noted on the calendar above. Please note that we encourage attendees to purchase tickets in advance to help us plan accordingly, as we offer tours free of charge to our neighbors residing in 60609 as space allows. The tour of The Plant is followed by a free guided visit of Whiner Beer Company’s brewery, led by the brewers themselves; just stop in at 3pm if you’re only angling for the brewery tour.

Private tours are encouraged for groups of more than 10 people and organizations; click here for more information.

— EVENTS AND SPACE RENTALS —

We prioritize space rentals for events that are educational, community-oriented or in-line with our mission as sustainable urban developers supporting small business incubation. For private events such as family celebrations, please consider reaching out to info@whinerbeer.com about renting their beautiful taproom located inside The Plant.

Getting Here

The Plant is located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago at 1400 W 46th St. We are close to transit: ~ 2 blocks from the #9 Ashland bus, which has an express option during rush hour, and 1 block from the #47 / 47th St. bus. Ride your bike and park in the lobby, or park your Divvy at the bike-share station at 47th/Ashland.  

Street parking is generally available in front of the building and along adjacent streets, though we appreciate your consideration of the carbon footprint of your travel and encourage you to avoid driving solo.

Accessibility Status

Persons with disability parking placards are welcome to park in the loading area in the public way directly outside our front door. We have ADA-compliant ramps in our lobby and an ADA-compliant elevator to provide access to all floors of the building. Additional accessibility improvements are in the works. Please contact us for more information on site accessibility.

What to Bring

To support our community:
- Fresh, unexpired food for our Love Fridge
- New or very gently used toys and clothing (especially winter coats and warm layers) for New Life Centers’ New Vecinos program
- Hygiene and household products such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, detergents, diapers, wipes, etc., for distribution at the Back of the Yards branch of the Chicago Public Library
- And we always accept donations of gently used books and school supplies to share at the library as well!

For responsible recycling + re-use:
- Used PakTech plastic snap-on can carriers for reuse by Whiner Beer Co.
- Non-working holiday string lights for responsible recycling through Reduce Waste Chicago
- Gently used packing materials to be redistributed for reuse by EcoShip Chicago; check out the list of materials we accept