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Bald Birds Brewery, Jersey Shore, PA

In 2018 Joe Feerrar opened Bald Birds Brewing Company ("BBB") in Audubon, PA, and in 2020, expanded to Joe’s hometown in Jersey Shore, PA, converting an abandoned warehouse that he had passed every day on the way home from school. Joe’s business plan included a space where community could gather, and jobs would be created.

Through participation in the Payment Protection Program in 2020, Joe was introduced to Jamie Straub on our Commercial Banking team which led to financing to open a tasting room, event space, and brewing and distilling area.

“This is a close-knit community and we wanted to become that community center where people want to hang out, said Joe. That’s what we want our brewery to be for our neighbors.

In the fall of 2022, Bald Birds became an extension campus for the Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Brewing and Fermentation Science Program, creating a unique learning experience including enhanced laboratory space.

Bald Birds then acquired additional equipment to enter the spirits market, and in2024 we partnered with Joe and his team to provide financing to support their entry into a brewing contract estimated to bring additional jobs to the Jersey Shore area. We also began a partnership to provide financial education resources to the employees of Bald Birds.

“First Commonwealth has helped me to accelerate our business and take it to a whole new level. They understood our business, how we can grow, and saw that we could build a really cool business for our community.” Joe Feerrar