Yee-Haw! Downtown Johnson City craft brewery opens with White Duck Taco

Downtown Johnson City's second remodeled railroad depot is opening today with a big "Yee-Haw!"Yee-Haw Brewing Company's Jeremy Walker defines "Yee-Haw" as an exclamation of exuberance, and says the company seeks to give its customers reasons to bellow that call.Diners and bar patrons can let it loose at 11:30 a.m. with the official grand opening of the craft beer producer, its tap room and its onsite restaurant, the White Duck Taco Shop, in the old Tweetsie Depot on the corner of Buffalo Street and State of Franklin Road. The business will be open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with "last call" for beer and tacos at 9.Joined by his craft beer crew, White Duck Taco staff, dozens of community leaders and journalists during a soft opening Wednesday, Walker said the two businesses were exactly where they wanted to be ahead of opening day."We want to be active members of the community," Walker said, citing the way Yee-Haw helped sponsor the Blue Plum Fast 5K during this year's Blue Plum Festival — the area's most populated free festival.Throughout the former Eastern Tennessee & Western North Carolina — or "Tweetsie" — depot building are many tables, chairs and even couches for patrons to take a load off and enjoy themselves.On the west side of the sizable tap room are large windows that show the brew house where Yee-Haw's beers — flagships Pilsner, Pale Ale, Eighty Shilling Scottish Ale, Dunkel dark lager and upcoming seasonal brews — are made.Adirondack Chairs surrounding fire pits, bocce ball courts and other outdoor patio sitting areas surround the building."We knew this building was something special the first time we saw it", says founding partner Joe Baker. "Our goal was to restore it to its former glory, while at the same time making it a warm, unique, comfortable place where people can gather with family and friends, and just relax. I think we've accomplished exactly that."White Duck Taco's menu includes soft drinks and, of course Yee-Haw's brews, but a more eclectic and colorful menu of taco like BBQ Carnitas, Lamb Gyro, Steak and Cheese, Black Bean and Cheese, Bangok Shrimp, Banh Mi Tofu, Fish Taco, Jerk Chicken and Korean Beef Bulgogi with Kimchi.City Manger Pete Peterson was on hand for the soft opening and was impressed with what he saw, but more so excited for what it was doing for the city."I think this is very significant," he said. "This is a cornerstone for Johnson City."When Johnson City put millions of dollars into flood mitigation and landscaping, it paid off in getting places like Yee-Haw and Tupelo Honey to come in, Peterson said, and he sees the opening of Yee-Haw and White Duck Taco as just the beginning.In the coming months, Johnson City will look to develop the former U-Haul property into a green space that provides more flood mitigation, the Hands-On museum's new location near the Johnson City Public Library and the extension and connection of many of the city's trail and sidewalks from north Johnson City all the way along State of Franklin Road to the downtown area and the Tweetsie Trail.And it's all related to a changing Johnson City that is recruiting businesses like Yee-Haw, Tupelo Honey, White Duck Taco and Trek Bicycle Store as well as "Millenials" who want easy walkable access to the finer things in life, like alcohol, dining, concert and activity options."Millenials are more looking for more urban than suburban area," Peterson said.Yee-Haw is also involved in several other downtown-area events for active people including a four-mile fun run every Thursday night at Tipton Street Pub with the Tri-Cities Turtles as well as Taco Trek Tuesday night bike ride, which draws in members of the cycling community, while working with another downtown business, Holy Taco and Cantina. There are also plans to use the single track cycling trails behind East Tennessee State University and partnering with local pantries to help provide food for those who go hungry during the holidays.For more information about Yee-Haw, go to www.yeehawbrewing.com.Follow Tony Casey on Twitter @TonyCaseyJCP. Like him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tonycaseyjournalist.