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SBJ photo by Jessica Rosa

2020 12 People: Curtis Marshall

Brewing Community

Posted online

Entrepreneur Curtis Marshall wants to create a third place for Springfieldians to go – not home, not work, but a place to relax and enjoy the company of others.

His place is microbrewery Tie & Timber Beer Co. LLC, in the growing Rountree neighborhood. The brewery is known for its craft beer, laid back vibe and live music.

He and his wife, head brewer Jennifer Leonard, opened Tie & Timber in April 2018, and serve 20 hand-crafted beers on tap and at several local restaurants. It’s on pace to generate $650,000 in 2019, he says.

Marshall says opening the brewery was a “stepping stone in the right direction” for Rountree. He’s worked with the Rountree PTA and Sculpture Walk Springfield to invest in the area – all with the goal of making Springfield a better place to live.

“If enough of us have that attitude, and we’re willing to put our money where our mouth is, it’ll only lead to higher retainment of a younger workforce and a higher rate of outside investment,” he says. “It snowballs and continues to grow the vibrant city that we live in.”

Since the brewery opened, there’s been a wave of activity in the Rountree neighborhood, including the addition of Team Taco and Ellecor Design and Gifts. Set to open in 2020 are a market concept, live music venture, a pottery studio and a floral shop. Student housing construction is underway, too.

“Rountree is such a gem of a business district,” he says. “I saw so much potential there.”

Originally from the Ozarks, Marshall lived in Denver for 20 years before deciding to invest in Springfield’s craft beer scene, which only had four breweries at the time. While working on his business plan, he reached out to local bar and brewery owners to get a better understanding of the landscape.

He says after crunching numbers, he knew there was potential in the Queen City. The 10th local brewery, Prehistoric Brewing Co. LLC, is set to open in 2020.

Marshall is a board member of Sculpture Walk Springfield and member of Missouri Craft Brewers Guild, Brewer’s Association and Master Brewers Association of the Americas. Tie & Timber donated about $8,000 in 2019 to nonprofits, including Rescue One, Harmony House, Ozarks Food Harvest and Eden Village.

“Community is very important to me, and I’m not doing this because I love beer. I’m doing this because I enjoy interesting products, and I love making people smile and laugh,” he says. “To give back to my community and my hometown is something I’m really proud of.”

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