Project Spotlight: Left Hand Brewing Company 40’ Custom Container Bar
Project Background
Left Handing Brewing Company is one of the most iconic craft breweries in the country (and happens to be 40 minutes down the road from our ROXBOX headquarters), so we could not have been more excited when they approached us about creating a custom shipping container bar concept for their new beer garden. From the get go Left Hand knew what they wanted, an eye-catching, durable centerpiece to their new space that could serve their famous craft beers and beverages all year long. Enter Big Red, a 40 foot shipping container bar with all of the functionality and equipment of a full taproom.
We took this project from “napkin-sketch” through our four-phase shipping container design process – design and analysis in Phase 1, fully stamped and approved plans through the modular program in Phase 2, complete build-out at our Denver facility in Phase 3, and delivery + install on-site in Phase 4.
Specs & Modifications
- 40’ High-Cube one-trip container
- 10’ walk-in cooler that holds 20+ kegs
- Cooler entry from the person-door inside the bar and from the container doors outside the bar
- Custom pipe-tap with 8 taps utilizing a glycol system
- Electrical, lights & plumbing
- Person-door employee entry
- Custom signage and branding
- Three customer windows with retractable awnings and stainless steel countertops (one ADA compliant customer window)
- Additional back bar customer window with awning and sliding windows
- Custom back bar equipment, including: two refrigerators, hand sink, cabinets, and stainless countertop
- Certified modular building with the State of Colorado
Location
The custom BeerCan can be found at Left Hand’s brand new beer garden at their headquarters in Longmont, Colorado. The container bar serves as the centerpiece to Left Hand’s three acre beer garden.
Timeline
Left Hand originally reached out to ROXBOX about the project in 2019, but plans were stalled due to the pandemic. The project picked up the pace again in early 2021 with a finish date of early August so the beer garden could open for summer. ROXBOX began designing the container in January 2021, working hand-in-hand with the LeftHand team to create their custom 40’ BeerCan.
In Phase 1, our team outlined and designed every detail of the build, including: exterior color, signage, beer and tap system design and location, window and door placement, location of bar equipment, etc. With design and Phase 1 completed, we took the project into Phase 2 and developed stamped plans to submit to the Colorado modular program. Our team worked with architects and engineers, alongside the State of Colorado, to get stamped and approved plans for the permanent modular structure. Then the fun part – Phase 3 and building out the unit. Once all of the materials were received, it took us 43 days to complete this build (including modular inspections). We delivered the final product and completed a small amount of on-site work in late July 2021, more than enough time for Left Hand’s beer garden grand opening party on August 14th!
Project Development
If you are interested in learning more about the Left Hand BeerCan, our bar & taproom line of shipping containers modifications, or any of our other products and builds, click here to contact our team or visit our website (www.roxboxcontainers.com).
Why Shipping Containers and Experiential Marketing are the Perfect Match
"When it comes to experiential marketing activations, there is an endless number of routes a brand can take. In many situations, shipping containers offer the perfect solution due to their functionality, durability, mobility, and aesthetics."
Experiential marketing is an entire channel of marketing that involves any face-to-face or offline efforts to raise brand awareness, create and nurture business opportunities and develop long-term customer loyalty. It is an incredible way to drive more customer engagement at off-line events and stand out by offering a new experience to interact with your brand and business. Unlike traditional or online marketing efforts, experiential marketing engages all five senses, sparking emotions that form lasting memories and delivering much more personal experiences with your brand or business. Experiential marketing brings the consumer on an interactive journey that provokes an emotional response in the person experiencing it. It’s that emotional impact that fosters a positive association with the brand and the willingness of the customer to either return to the brand, promote it to others, or both.
Types of Experiential Marketing
There are many different types of experiential marketing, from a container booth at a tradeshow to a pop-up shop at a festival. The following list includes some of the most popular forms of experiential marketing used by brands and businesses today: event marketing, trade shows, pop-up shops/activations, exclusive experiences, conferences, sponsorships, product samplings, test drives, kiosks, contests, retail installations, in-person surveys, mobile vehicle tours, street teams, in-store experiences, face-to-face marketing, brand activations, guerilla marketing, content generating stunts, immersive experiences, product showcases, and VIP experiences.
Why Build Your Next Experiential Marketing Activation out of Shipping Containers
When it comes to Experiential Marketing activations, there are an endless number of routes a brand can take. In many situations, shipping containers offer the perfect solution due to their functionality, durability, mobility, and aesthetics. Below, we take a closer look at what makes shipping containers the perfect building material for your next experiential marketing activation.
Mobility
Just as a shipping container full of cargo can be shipped almost anywhere in the world, so can a marketing activation built out of a shipping container. Simply load the activation onto the back of a truck or trailer and ship it onto the next festival, event, conference, or tradeshow your business is attending.
Durability
When travelling from event to event, you need a marketing activation that will be able to withstand the constant travel, setup, teardown and customer interactions that come with life on the road. Nothing is more durable than a corten 14 gauge corrugated steel shipping container. Built by some of the most experienced craftsmen in the shipping container space, you can be confident our modified containers will be durable enough to withstand the beating that comes with moving a marketing activation from one location to the next. Unlike flimsy tents or kiosks, our container modifications don’t require the constant repairs and upkeep that come with many marketing activations.
Easy Setup & Teardown
With container modifications, setup and teardown are easy. Depending on how you customize your build, simply fold up and down the doors, stages and awnings and off you go. Save time and energy on setup and teardown and focus more of your efforts on giving your customers the awesome experience they are looking for!
Customizable
Think of a shipping container as a steel box blank canvas. Whatever your vision is for your next experiential marketing activation, we can build it out of containers. With our talented team of designers, engineers, architects, and craftsmen, almost anything is possible when it comes to shipping container modifications. From mobile retail spaces to off-grid solar powered bars, we have the skills and expertise to fully customize a container to exactly what you are looking for.
Modular
Shipping containers come in two sizes, 20 feet and 40 feet, and we build marketing activations out of both options. However, sometimes one container isn’t enough space to truly offer the full experience you are looking to give your customers and audience. Luckily containers are made to be grouped and stacked, and therefore offer unlimited possibility when it comes to design, layout and square footage. Whether you want two containers side by side or five containers in a unique and exciting array, our team will make sure you have more than enough space to wow your customers!
Cost Effective
Experiential Marketing activations can be pricey investments, and with so many options it can be challenging to find what will work best for your brand. Shipping container modifications can make this decision easy, as they are comparable in price to many other marketing activation options, but offer much more functionality, durability, and mobility within these price ranges.
Quick Turnaround
Our talented team of designers, architects, engineers, and craftsmen will work with your team to design and build your activation within any time frame you have. We also take care of the permitting process. The last thing you want is to build and deliver a great concept only to learn that you aren’t legally allowed to activate it. We therefore take the stress of that entire process off your plate and ensure we deliver a compliant, safe activation on time, every time!
Aesthetics
Shipping containers are sure to make your brand stand out at events crowded with tents, booths, and kiosks. Shipping container modifications are cool, eye-catching, exciting and unique, and are sure to draw the attention of anyone in attendance wherever you place it!
User-Generated Content
People love sharing new, cool and exciting content on social media, and nothing is as new, cool and exciting as a shipping container activation. Watch as people take photos and videos of your shipping container modification and share that content all over social media. Nothing beats free marketing!