In Cleveland, Ohio, a new brewery will soon brew Slovenian beer for the American market, while an adjoining restaurant promises to feature the flavors of traditional Slovenian cuisine.

Cleveland has always had a special role for the Slovenian-American community. The industrial town on the shores of Lake Erie has historically attracted more Slovenian immigrants than any other American city, so when Boris Mušič immigrated to the United States in the 1970s, it was no coincidence that he chose Cleveland as his new home.

In 1979, he took over the Hansa Import House, a store that specialized in selling imported European specialties. Mušič greatly expanded the operation by constructing a new, log-cabin-style building, and introduced various Slovenian products to the store’s lineup.

A few years ago, Mušič came up with an idea for something much more ambitious: He had heard that Slovenia’s well-known Laško Brewery, established in 1825, wanted to enter the North American market. He joined forces with several investors, some based in Slovenia, and suggested that a brewery be added to his Hansa Import House.

Laško embraced the arrangement and construction began in 2012. Music closed down several other businesses of his in order to focus on this project. When completed, the brewery will supply the entire North American market with a brand of beer that is already well-established in Slovenia and neighboring countries.

The brewery will form just part of a larger complex that will include an expanded store, a restaurant that will also serve Slovenian cuisine, and – eventually – a wine cellar. The multi-million-dollar project will not just promote Slovenian culture in the U.S., but it also promises to serve as a tourist attraction in its own right. It will help the surrounding community, which was once plagued by crime, to become an attractive destination for visitors eager to discover Cleveland’s ethnic roots.