WHAT'S OLD CAN BE MADE NEW. The folks over at Lazy Monk Brewing dusted off this old beauty, a relic of the brewery's past. (Photos via Lazy Monk's Facebook).

The words ‘spring cleaning’ and ‘fun’ rarely find themselves in the same sentence. At Lazy Monk Brewing, however, they go together quite well, revealing an unexpected yet welcome surprise.

Lazy Monk, a local favorite, has been brewin’ for 14 years and has seen unwavering support from the community since the very beginning. Owner Theresa Frank reflected on the beginnings of the beer hall, where it first opened its doors on Putnam Street in Eau Claire.

“It started off as a four-person bar, and we could fit maybe 20 people in there,” she said. “We soon realized we needed to change that.”

After years of throwing parties for Oktoberfest that had lines out the door, Lazy Monk made its move to its current, larger spot on Madison Street, overlooking the Chippewa River. With such a different feel to the new building and area, many of the decorations went into storage, bound to be forgotten as the years passed.

Frank and the team at Lazy Monk carried on with brewin’ business, until this spring, when Frank decided to go through and uncover the treasures of the brewery’s past. Perhaps the fondest memory was uncovered thanks to a most impactful find. “I actually had forgotten about it,” Frank shared with a laugh. “It was this big, beautiful piece. There it was, just shining at me, and so many memories came back.”

The piece in question is a mural created by a local artist, Amy, Frank recalled. Put together as special artwork for Oktoberfest one year, the mural captures the brewery’s namesake riding in the Oktoberfest wagon, pulled by horses and accompanied by barrels of beer around him. At the Putnam Street location, it had been a centerpiece behind their bar, but time in storage had wiped it from their memory.

What made the rediscovery such a heartwarming story is the reminder of the impact Lazy Monk has made on the community and the people who love it so much. Yet, it’s hard to put into words what this year’s spring cleaning treasure means for the brewery and their loyal customers.

“It was kind of a ‘memory lane’ thing,” Frank said fondly. “And people who remember our old beer hall love to see it back up on our wall. They share their own memories, and some even take pictures with it!”

Lazy Monk has come a long way, from its smaller space and working with a shoestring budget, with no outside employees aside from Theresa and her husband, Leo. Seeing such a significant piece of art, created by someone local no less, has been nothing short of rewarding. The mural has returned, hung up once more, for everyone to see and remember their ties to Lazy Monk.

In a story of beer, parties, and a locally-painted mural, Lazy Monk Brewing has proven that spring cleaning can be rewarding! Especially when the memories you unlock are fond ones like this; the ones that bring you right back to the beginning of it all.

Check out lazymonkbrewing.com to learn more, and stop into the brewery itself to see the mural!