1930s
leisy brewery
Established in 1873 by German-born Isaac Leisy and his two brothers, the Leisy Brewing Co. was arguably the largest independently owned brewing company in Cleveland. In 1882, Leisy expanded into a plant along eight acres on Vega Avenue that included a blacksmith's shop and stables for 250 horses. Leisy upped production from 12,000 barrels in 1873 to more than 565,000 in 1918. After Prohibition, Leisy continued its brewing tradition until closing in 1959. This month, Gypsy Brewery begins brewing in the renovated 90,000-square-foot Leisy bottling plant.
