Steam Punk art installation with trains running on the ceiling. Game room with Foosball & Darts Hub City Brew Pub/BBQ
History of the Belen Community
Belen, New Mexico, was founded by two Spaniards, Captain Don Diego Torres and Antonio Salazar in 1740. Belen (pron.: /bəˈlɪn/; Sp
anish: Belén). Belen is Spanish for Bethlehem, and over time has gained the nickname "Hub City" as the town is physically located in the center of NM and because of the Belen Cutoff of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The AT/SF Railway completed a transcontinental railroad between Chicago and Southern California in the 1880s. The route was less than ideal, especially where it crossed Raton Pass and Glorieta Pass. The steep grades between NM and CO posed operational problems, including congestion, slow speeds, and the need for helper engines. In January 1903 the AT/SF began construction of the Belen Cutoff. The entire line was completed on July 1, 1908, allowing through freight trains to bypass the 3-3.5% grades of the old line for the new maximum grade of 1.25%. The Cutoff made it possible for many more trains to travel east and west across the United States. Today an average of 110 BN/SF freight trains travel through Belen in a 24-hour period. Located just 25 miles south of Albuquerque, Belen is also the southern terminus of the NM Rail Runner passenger train service that runs between the Hub City and Santa Fe. Belen also has one of the only surviving original Fred Harvey Houses, now a railroad museum, dating back to the days of Santa Fe rail travel. The population was 7,416 at the 2020 Census. Belen is part of the New Mexico Main Street Program which is a grassroots economic development program that assists communities in revitalizing their traditional commercial neighborhoods. A program of the New Mexico Economic Development Department, Main Street works throughout New Mexico to help affiliated downtown organizations create an economically viable business environment while preserving local cultural and historic resources. The District is where the Harvey House Railroad Museum is located along with numerous other historical buildings, art galleries, a winery and eating establishments up and down Becker and Dailes Ave. Belen is fast becoming a year round art and festival town and the addition of the brewery in 2016 has been very well received by both the residents and the City. Our historic Main Street District is connected to the Hub City Brewing Co property by a pedestrian viaduct between the historic district and the Rail Runner train station. The brewery entirely occupies the Rail Cafe, a 100 year old historic structure that was fully renovated in 2006 by the current owners of Hub City Brewing. The train station itself is located across the tracks from downtown Belen, so the Rail Runner actually arrives at the Hub City Brewing Co. and the Rail Cafe, not into Belen proper. Hub City Brewing Co. holds an exclusive position at the station for serving the commuter and visitor alike as it is the only business located there. We personally own every foot of land that adjoins the train station, allowing us to completely control the economic opportunities at the station. It also gives us room for expansion and for the creation of additional compatible business in the future. On average there are 120 commuter cars in the station parking lot daily. Upon arrival home from work the Hub City Brewing Co. is the only place to unwind with a simple walk across the parking lot. In addition there are trains all day that bring visitors to the community from points North. This makes for a pretty cool competitive advantage don't you think. What's brewing at the Hub City Brewing Co? We produce only a small quantity of very unique craft beers at the brewery. They are not canned or bottled, nor can they be taken out in growlers. Our locally produced beers are only available to drink on premise as part of our mission to be the "community gathering place" where Belen residents come together. As well as our brews we also have some of the best craft beers of other breweries in NM. A sampler "rail car" is always available for you to sample. We sell growlers, hats and t-shirts with our logo graphics for the collectors. Regular live entertainment and movies are part of the weekly entertainment offerings. Tom Greer and Cindy McCall - why are we doing this? Along with my wife Cindy we are well known in the community for having developed and operated the Rail Cafe. We opened on Feb 2, 2007 with the arrival of the first Rail Runner train to Belen. We successfully created a unique menu of grilled panini sandwiches and homemade soups in a town that has predominantly Mexican and fast food restaurants. In 2009 the economic downturn took its toll on many local residents and patrons. Mostly seniors, they began to gravitate to the dollar menu at places like McDonald's. We kept the Rail Cafe open for a while, but not being interested in producing low quality food to cut prices, we eventually shut the doors. We continued to look for a use of this really cool building that would support the needs of the Rail Runner commuter and visitor, as well as mesh well with the marketing objectives of our historic Main Street community. During those years we watched the craft brewing industry grow in New Mexico and Colorado and we began in late 2013 to look seriously at this as the perfect business opportunity at the Rail Runner Station. Craft breweries and local wineries fit this target group perfectly, as well as the younger generations who have truly embraced the evolving microbrew industry. We spent what turned out to be a long process getting Federal Permits and Licensing to produce alcoholic beverages and the NM Small Brewers Permit to operate a brewery and sell craft beer to you. We opened Hub City Brewing in 2016. Tom is a past President of the Greater Belen Chamber of Commerce, served as the Chairman of the City of Belen's Planning and Zoning Commission and currently is the VP of the Belen Mainstreet Partnership.
