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Banking on Relationships - President Day and Matt Schweizer

Matt Schweizer knows a thing or two about being busy.

With a smile on his face and a beer in his hand, Matt talks about the demands of being a small business owner with fond affection, the same way a person might describe their favorite hobby.

He recounts each task in detail, from brewing over a dozen different brews of craft beer each year to supplying 7-10 barrels of beer each week. With support from his staff, Schweizer also oversees daily operations at Hopskeller Brewing Company, managing a busy kitchen, a menu of unique wood-fired pizzas and a bar known for popular signature cocktails like the Waterloo Fizz.

Schweizer’s hectic lifestyle is one of the reasons he appreciates simple conveniences, like banking at State Bank.

When Schweizer opened Hopskeller Brewing Company in 2016, he opened his business account with State Bank because of their convenient locations.

“I drove right past the bank and thought, this will be great - I go past here every day,” Schweizer said.

Since the very beginning, State Bank has been with Schweizer through every phase of business ownership. From a devastating fire just one month after opening, to a remodel, and then steady growth each year since reopening in 2017.

“Everyone there is super nice,” he said, “I go in and they know me. They’ve made it feel very welcoming.”

Beyond the hometown touch, Schweizer appreciates the ease of online banking features and even believes the website to be the most intuitive around.

Everything is integrated. I access the same website for all my accounts, so it’s very convenient,” he said, adding that he and his wife, Anna, now have their personal accounts with State Bank as well.

A native of south St. Louis County, Schweizer values the personal touches a neighborhood bank like State Bank can provide.

“Banking with State Bank has been a very positive experience,” he said. “Certainly, going forward, they’ll be the ones I bank with.”

As for the business, the success of Hopskeller has far exceeded Schweizer’s expectations.

He started homebrewing as a hobby when he couldn’t find the English style ales he had enjoyed while studying abroad in college. While offering some of his home brews at Gibault High School’s Taste of the Region and Oktoberfest, then Mayor Tom Smith approached him about opening a brewery in downtown Waterloo.

“In all the best ways possible the business is much bigger than what I envisioned,” Schweizer says. “I started the planning process at 28 or 29 years old, and I think I envisioned something much smaller. It kind of expanded into something much bigger.”

Schweizer said he is grateful to the community for their ongoing support, and for the relationships he has with other businesses like State Bank.

“It always made way more sense to do it in Waterloo,” Schweizer said. “This was the right choice.”

Next time you’re in downtown Waterloo, make sure to make your way over to Hopskeller. We recommend the Fat Bottom Girls pizza and Across the Pond IPA. Or check out their website for a full menu. 

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