NC's first female, veteran-owned brewery opens new location in Research Triangle Park

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK (WTVD) -- The first female, veteran owned brewery in North Carolina is opening a second location in Research Triangle Park.

Tobacco Wood Brewing Company will open its doors at location number two on June 2.

"Everybody is so anxious to get started, so you've got that high anxiety, excitement going on," owner Mara Shelton said.

Shelton brought the first female, veteran owned brewery to the state with her first location in Oxford, and she didn't expect to open a second location for a few years. But when the opportunity arose at Research Triangle Park, she said she couldn't pass it up.

"Watching the growth with all the apartments going in, the single family homes, the business expansion, we're like this is the time to go," Shelton said.

Located in the Meridian Business Park on the west end of RTP, it'll be near Apple's new campus as well.

Shelton said the timing of the new location's grand opening is perfect too--coming as more people begin venturing outside as COVID-19 restrictions are rolled back.

"It's kind of a huge sigh of relief truthfully. I think everybody is ready to be out. It'll be nice to see peoples' smiles," Shelton said.

The doors open on Wednesday at 11 a.m. for lunch. However, the brewery won't yet be able to serve beer, because it is still waiting for its license. That license should arrive in the coming days.