McCook owes debt of gratitude to Hormel Foundation

Congratulations go to Tyler and Tyler Sue Loop, who have won the 2010 Hormel Business Plan Competition with their proposal to start a brew pub in downtown McCook under the name of "Loop Brewery." The proposed business will join fellow Hormel Business Plan Competition winners, Game On, operated by Cody Dame and Tanner Lytle, and The kloset, owned by Stephanie and Jeffrey Dusatko and Ashley Hagan.

McCook also owes a debt of gratitude to the Hormel Family Foundation for sponsoring the competition in partnership with Invest Nebraska Corporation. As a result of their vision, McCook is already the home of two new retail businesses and the Loop Brewery will hopefully become the third. And thanks to the Hormel family's inspiration, the average age of independent business ownership in McCook continues to decline.

The competition provides the winner with a $25,000 equity investment, along with consulting services and advertising packages. Not that winning the competition provides an easy ride to business success. The prize package certainly helps, but as previous winners will attest, the real work for the Loops has only just begun.

The plan for the business is to offer fresh micro-brewed beer, along with Panini sandwiches, burgers, and even homemade root beer on tap. The Loops will install a 7-barrel system that will be visible to their patrons through glass windows behind the bar. They are working on securing the old ice house, located on West A Street close to the railroad. If those plans work out, patrons will be able to look out the window and observe the railroad action while enjoying a sandwich and a cold one in a family friendly atmosphere.

Tyler has been learning about the brewery business from Tom Hennessy of Ridgway, Colorado. Mr. Hennessy has shared some of his award-winning recipes with the Loops. The next steps are to secure additional financing, work on licensing, and begin construction.

Tyler is not unfamiliar with what it takes to be an entrepreneur. His grandfather, Bill Loop, owns Trenton Electric and L & L Plumbing. At one time, his mother, Becky Loop, was co-owner of the Country Corner Market in McCook. His brother, Jason, is a partner in a CPA firm in McCook. Tyler understands the sacrifices that business owners make to be a success and he is eager to fulfill a long-time dream of owning his own business.

Both Tyler and Tyler Sue (Randolph) are graduates of McCook High School, 2001 and 2003 respectively. They have two children, Kapri, 2, and Keaton, 5- months-old. Tyler graduated from University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, and then returned to McCook with his wife to raise their family.

We congratulate Tyler and Tyler Sue on winning the competition, and we look forward to enjoying the fruits of their labor in the near future. One day, we expect the Loop Brewery to become a unique McCook icon, similar to the distinctive hometown tradition of Mac's Drive and Sehnert's Bieroc Café.