Function partners with Western Collective
Function and Western Collective Announce Garden City Taproom Collaboration, Launching June 2 with Fort George Brewery
Function, the Portland-born rotating brewery pop-up taproom concept revealed plans to expand to the Boise, Idaho area to the New School in March after announcing the closure of their original northwest Portland location. Leading up to the planned build-out of a new taproom, food hall, and lodging next to the river in Garden City, Idaho, Function is partnering with local brewery Western Collective to host 6 months of rotating guest brewery pop-ups.
The first featured brewery partner will be Fort George Brewery out of Astoria, Oregon, with the launch beginning Tuesday, June 2. The Fort George lineup will be featured alongside Western Collective’s house beers, ciders, slush, and taproom staples.
“This is exactly the kind of thing we wanted to start building before our own doors open in Garden City,” said Function Owner Casey Armstrong. “Function has always been about bringing great breweries into a room in a way that feels accessible, energetic, and thoughtful. Western Collective gives us a chance to start doing that here now - with a local partner, in a neighborhood we’re genuinely excited about.”
Function first opened in Portland in 2017 and has operated its month-long brewery residency model since 2021, hosting renowned breweries from around the country, including powerhouses like Monkish, Other Half, North Park and pFriem. The model is built around a simple idea: give great breweries a temporary home in a new market, create a reason for people to show up, and build a taproom experience that feels intentional and curated.
The Western Collective collaboration brings together two different but complementary strengths: Function will bring its rotating brewery model, tap curation, and marketing voice into the taproom alongside Western Collective’s beer, cider, slush, and established Garden City presence. The partnership is built to make the taproom feel active, thoughtful, and worth coming back to — whether guests are there for Western Collective, the rotating brewery partner, or the broader Garden City beverage scene.
“It’s about showing up early, adding value, and building the kind of momentum we think Garden City is ready for. We want Function to be a future neighbor that helps raise the ceiling for what beverage culture can look like here,” Armstrong said. “Cary is giving us the opportunity to work on that together, now.”
“Western Collective has spent years building a taproom that works for everyone - families on the patio, beer fans, slush regulars, all of it,” said Cary Prewitt, Founder of Western Collective. “The next five years are about getting more ambitious with what fills the room without losing that. Function is the first of a series of collaborations we’re rolling out to bring renowned breweries and new experiences to Garden City, starting June 2 with Fort George. There’s a lot more coming.”
The June 2 launch with Fort George will introduce a focused lineup from the Astoria brewery alongside Western Collective’s existing taproom offerings, with additional events, beer features, and activations to follow throughout the month.
For Function, the collaboration is also a preview of its larger Garden City vision: a hospitality campus built around rotating brewery residencies, community events, curated beverage experiences, and a welcoming food and beverage environment that feels both considered and easy to enjoy.
For Western Collective, the partnership brings fresh activity into the taproom and creates a platform for bringing respected regional breweries into Garden City in a way that supports the broader local scene.
More details on the June 2 launch event, Fort George lineup, and upcoming taproom activations will be announced through Function and Western Collective social channels.
About Function Function is a rotating brewery taproom concept first opened in Portland, Oregon in 2017. Since 2021, Function has hosted month-long brewery residencies featuring renowned breweries from around the country, creating a curated but approachable taproom experience built around discovery, hospitality, and community. As Function expands into new markets, the concept remains focused on bringing great breweries into great rooms — and making the experience feel welcoming, energetic, and easy to enjoy.
About Western Collective Western Collective is a Garden City, Idaho brewery and taproom located on 33rd Street, known for its beer, cider, slush, and taproom experience. The brewery has become part of Garden City’s growing beverage and hospitality corridor.
About Fort George Brewery Fort George Brewery is a family-owned brewery based in Astoria, Oregon. Known for its deeply rooted Pacific Northwest identity and broad lineup of beers, Fort George will serve as the first brewery partner in the Function × Western Collective collaboration.