Camp-themed taproom to open in former Marysville brewery

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A retro camping-themed brewery is expanding with a second central Ohio taproom, taking over the former Walking Distance Brewing location in Marysville.

Camp Brewing will begin welcoming beer enthusiasts this May in Marysville at 222 E. Eighth St., the property home to Walking Distance before it permanently closed in February after more than three years of business. Owner Doug Olsen said the brewery is targeting a May 16 launch for the new location, in time for Marysville's first Friday Nights Uptown of the summer.

"We've been pretty involved in Marysville for over a decade, so we're going to use the brewery as way to get more people engaged in the community and participate in a lot of events in the Uptown," said Olsen.

The opening will marks Camp's second outpost after the first opened in Huntsville at 3939 County Road 37 in spring 2024, coinciding with the total solar eclipse. The Huntsville taproom sits on a sprawling 29-acre campground and features 119 RV spots, rental cabins, an indoor salt water pool, volleyball and basketball courts, a dog park and a playground.

While the Marysville brewery won't be as expansive as the Huntsville complex, the new location will be called "Basecamp" and aims to offer the same nostalgic environment that customers have come to expect from Camp. Olsen said that effort includes expanding the brand's Camp Brew Fest, a biannual festival with various central Ohio breweries, to the Marysville location.

Olsen has owned the Marysville building since 2016 and was an original partner of Walking Distance, which was known for hosting events like Columbus Crew watch parties and LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations. While the Pride events were meant to further inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community, the brewery faced targeted social media posts by a local conservative group.

The Camp founder parted from Walking Distance about two years ago to begin crafting his own brand. Now, he said the team is excited for the opportunity to get back into the Marysville building and reimagine it with his own brand.

"With Basecamp, maybe you're not doing a lot of camping adventures, but Marysville has a lot to offer," said Olsen. "We're in between Eljer Park, which has got sand volleyball courts and walking trails, and then we're right up in Uptown as well. So, we want to use it as a location to kick off a lot of events."