Three Notch’d brewery — a Charlottesville powerhouse — will open soon in Virginia Beach’s Town Center

VIRGINIA BEACH — Calling all thirsty craft beer enthusiasts: You don’t have to wait much longer for the local opening of one of Virginia’s largest producers.

Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen and Brewery will open in September in Town Center, said Scott Roth, co-founder and president. The Charlottesville-based company signed a lease at the end of last year but has been taking its time setting up.

“We weren’t in a super rush, but we’re super excited to be opening this fall,” Roth said.

On Tuesday morning, he visited the new location at the corner of Market Street and Virginia Beach Boulevard. Roth, 40, swept up construction dust in the middle of the space where the new bar area will be and checked in with contractors on the progress.

The nearly 8,000-square-foot building — formerly occupied by Gordon Biersch brewery — has been gutted. In a few weeks, Roth will move in new equipment, and soon after, hold a soft opening.

Three Notch’d Brewing Co. has been steadily increasing its footprint across the state since its inception in 2013. Virginia Beach will be home to its fifth brewpub, joining Charlottesville, Roanoke, Harrisonburg and Richmond.

Roth and his business partners are outfitting the Virginia Beach space from the floor up, except for the kitchen hood, one of only a few furnishings left by the previous tenant, Roth said. They’re investing $500,000 in the project, he said.

Three Notch’d fans won’t be disappointed. The Town Center location will be the company’s second largest and will produce a new Virginia Beach beer each week, Roth said.

The bar will feature 16 beers on draft, with five or six staple Three Notch’d brews. The rest will be collaboration beers, where the brewery teams up with local nonprofits, for profits or home brewers on specific, hand-selected ingredients.

“Anybody who is interested in telling their story through beer is a great collaborator,” Roth said.

Expect Virginia flair on the menu, too, with seafood, meat and breads sourced from the Commonwealth and traditional pub fare, too, including fan favorite, pretzel bites made from scratch. Executive Chef Steve Kerschner will be at the helm. Three Notch’d Brewing Co. will have about 50 employees at the new spot, which will have private event space and an outdoor patio.

The brewery produces 20-25,000 barrels of beer each year, Roth said. It started distributing canned selections to area grocery stores a few years ago, but the owners were eager to bring the brewery’s in-person brand experience to Hampton Roads. Town Center fit the bill.

“Virginia Beach is an incredible market for us,” Roth said. “It’s just got the right feel.”