Marquette’s Blackrocks Brewery holds second-ever scavenger hunt

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - While people flocked to the streets of Marquette to find a golden ticket, the business behind the hunt, Blackrocks Brewery, spoke about the history of its long-running Mug Club.

Since opening in late 2010, Blackrocks has become known for the yellow house it inhabits, its staple and seasonal brews, and for the hundreds of ceramic mugs which fill a room and hang from the pub’s ceiling. Pirate of Propaganda Steve Farr said these are not just any old 20-ounce mugs.

“It’s a lifetime membership,” Farr said. “You can buy a mug for $40, and then when you get it filled up, it’s the same price to fill up your mug as it is a pint. However, the mugs are a little bit bigger.”

In its first few years, the brewery added mugs gradually based on space. But in 2013, there were no mug hooks remaining.

“We didn’t want to put mugs on every wall and ceiling of the brewery,” said Farr. “We wanted to kind of keep them aesthetically pleasing and sort of out of the way.”

Now, there are 1,478 club members. Farr said the mugs contribute to the Blackrocks atmosphere.

“There’s people that still own their mugs that moved out of town and now live across the country,” Farr said. “But, they want to keep their mug here because it’s kind of like a little totem or a little piece of home that they keep with them.”

Becoming a member is a highly sought-after achievement. That is why, when space became available in 2019, Blackrocks decided to make it a challenge - hiding golden tickets around Marquette. Lucky finders become first in line to purchase a Mug Club membership.

“We thought it would be a lot more fun to get people outside (and) explore around Marquette,” said Farr. “It’s gorgeous here. There’s all kinds of trails, beaches, parks and all kinds of great public space that people can access.”

Now that 10 to 12 hooks have opened again, the race is back on to find the first of several golden tickets to be hidden this summer. The clue for the next golden ticket could be released as soon as late next week.

You can find the clues on the Blackrocks Brewery Facebook page.

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