Socorro Springs Brewing Company was founded in 1999 by New Mexico Tech alumni, Molley McFadden and her husband Mic Heynekamp, with the vision of not just serving a quality product but rather with a vision of being a destination where one could receive an entire experience centered around being served the highest quality food and beverage delivered with the best possible service. It is this combination that requires Socorro Springs Brewing Co. to not only make all their food with original recipes but to cook them with authentic wood fire, whether it be a piping hot calzone or pizza or a juicy, hand-cut, wood-fired rib-eye steak accompanied with a Gold-Medal Winning ice-cold lager or ale.
Socorro Springs Brewing Co. was the brainchild of Molley McFadden whose life dream was to own her own restaurant and Mic Heynekamp whose avid homebrewing hobby outgrew their house. Molley McFadden grew up in Phoenix, AZ, graduated from Socorro High School (1991) and attended New Mexico Tech to pursue a Business Degree to help chase her dream of one day opening her own restaurant. Mic Heynekamp grew up in Springerville, AZ, graduated from Reserve High School (NM), and went to New Mexico Tech to persue a Geology Degree. Molley and Mic met while in Socorro and shared a passion for the outdoors and entertaining friends through cooking and homebrewing. After many boating trips down the Great Western Rivers, biking and hiking through the Mighty Slickrock canyons of Utah and Arizona, and climbing the tallest Colorado Peaks with close friends, a vision of real food, real beer, served with real hospitality developed. Out of this vision, Socorro Springs was born; through a senior project business plan, done to help Molley satisfy the requirements for her Bachelor of Science Business Administration degree (1997). The microbrewery idea was added to the business plan through input by Mic Heynekamp whose homebrewing hobby was rapidly outgrowing their house. A summer of touring through the brewpubs and microbreweries of the Southwest helped refine their vision, while the business plan itself was refined greatly after many repeated sales pitches to potential banks, investors, and building owners. Finally, after looking for a home ranging from Southern New Mexico to the mountains of Colorado, Socorro Springs Brewing Co. found a home in Socorro in the historic Baca Mercantile Building.
Over a period of nearly three years, the Baca Mercantile was resurrected from the ground up allowing Socorro Springs Brewing Co. to open in 1999 with three pizzas and three beers (Pick-Axe IPA, Prohibition Stout, and Polvadera Peak Pilsner). Socorro Springs was off and running constantly trying to improve existing menu items, adding new ones, and most importantly listening to our loyal customers whose input steered its course as much as Molley and Mic did. Five years later and many lessons later, having outgrown its plaza location and desiring ownership of its own home, construction began for an entirely new premises on California Street. Input from customers, staff, and Mic and Molley was incorporated to create a building that would be able to serve the future of Socorro Springs. A new brewery, the addition of a wood-fired grill, and an exciting new look opened in March 2005.
The former Hilton Open Golf tournament had always been a busy time for Socorro Springs and when the search began for a new title sponsor, Molley and Mic realized that it was a perfect match for Socorro Springs. The Hilton empire was built on a vision of hospitality by Conrad Hilton with the opening of his first hotel in 1919 with the slogan “Be my Guest”. Much like the Hilton slogan, Socorro Springs success can be attributed to its focus being entirely on providing the best product with the best service to its guests. By becoming the title sponsor for the former Hilton Open, now the Socorro Springs Open, Socorro Springs Brewing Co. strives to give back to its loyal patrons and continue to fulfill its mission of serving its guests and community. It is the goal of Socorro Springs to make the tournament into an event that will be remembered not only for its champions but for the entire experience had during the week long event.
Socorro Springs is entering an exciting new phase where it is able to reach out and give back to the community of Socorro. It is the loyal customers that have allowed us to grow and we recognize the best path to grow is to keep the community of Socorro vibrant and thriving. The Socorro Springs Open will improve the community by adding to Socorro’s Presence and Recognition statewide and nationwide. It is the vision of Molley and Mic Heynekamp, for the Socorro Springs Open to not only represent the values of Socorro Springs but rather represent the entire community of Socorro, as a community of open arms and generous hospitality, so much like the “Be my Guest” slogan of the Hiltons. |
Thanks to the Sponsors
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