Brew love
The journey to brewery ownership began in 2001 for Jennifer (Elmer) Onofray ’00 and her husband, Mike. Jen, having recently graduated with a degree in chemical engineering, was visiting a fellow LU alum who had moved to Detroit to work for General Motors. Mike Onofray, a mechanical engineer at GM, was at that same party, and the two began dating long distance. Their first Christmas together, Jen gave Mike a basic, no-frills home brew kit.
They kept on brewing while their engineering careers moved them from Detroit to South Korea and back to Michigan. In 2015, after returning to Michigan, Mike made a career change to pursue his interest in brewing, joining a brewing science program at a local college in Michigan.
When Jen’s career moved them to Nashville in 2017, Mike began working at a local Nashville brewery. As they learned more about operating a craft brewery through Mike’s experience, Jen began to explore the profitability and financial realities of opening their own microbrew business. Jen and Mike decided to take the plunge into entrepreneurship in 2019.
Something for everyone
Jen and Mike set out to create an environment where everyone is welcome and to faithfully honor their “Something for Everyone” mission. On their menu they offer gluten-free options, vegan hot chocolate, and locally made seltzers, cider, wine, and mixed cocktails. For non-drinkers, they originally offered only specialty sodas, but they wanted to bring more people into their microbrew experience.
During Dry January 2023, they became one of the first microbreweries in Pennsylvania to make a nonalcoholic beer on site, launching their “You Do You” non-alcoholic beer series. In Jen and Mike’s philosophy of “Something for Everyone”, they wanted people to feel included whenever they walk into Two Frays regardless of whether they drink alcohol. Jen says that she did not expect such an emotional response from their customers. People are genuinely grateful in a way she did not anticipate.
The “You Do You” non-alcoholic beer is offered on tap all year round. For their two-year anniversary of the business, Jen and Mike launched a non-alcoholic West Coast IPA.
Jen’s personal favorite beer is one of their alcoholic selections — a custom porter specially crafted by Mike for his wife, who loves dark beers and doesn’t want the heavy imperial stouts. “Jen’s Porter” is a classic porter with notes of chocolate and coffee and an approachable 5% ABV so she can enjoy more of her favorite beer. Customers have urged them to keep it on the menu year-round, even during summer when porters are less commonly ordered.
Two engineers and an abandoned building
Jen and Mike had moved a lot during their years together and wanted to find the right community to settle in, build their business, and put down roots. Pittsburgh has a growing beer industry, strong neighborhoods, and was close to family, so they bought a large abandoned building in October 2019. With a small business loan, they were able to design their ideal layout for the building and all the necessary equipment. COVID-19 delayed their plans, but they were finally able to open in May 2021.
The result: an inclusive, safe, welcoming space for Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood. Two Frays Brewery features bright, vivid colors and lots of lighting on the inside, communal picnic tables in a pet-friendly space outside, and wall art spotlighting local artists. And thanks to their understanding of the science and mechanical components of the brewing process, they were able to build quality equipment to ensure their product is consistent.
Breaking the mold
The Onofrays were both new to the hospitality industry, and Jen feels it gave them freedom to find better ways to run their business. Jen wanted to support stronger gender diversity in the industry, so they focused on supporting and hiring females, reaching 80% female staff. They pay competitively and seek to ensure a safe, respectful, and collaborative workplace. They also recognized very early on that the hours of the business could be intense, leading to employee burnout. They took a lot of time to design roles for their team that would be fair and sustainable for the long term.
They aim to treat people fairly, give back to the community, and hire from within the Garfield community. The authentic community they have nurtured welcomes and recognizes everyone. In addition to their alcohol-free options, they provide dog treats for four-legged friends, wheelchair accessibility, and gender-neutral restrooms.
Two Frays hosts community events for local vendors and partners with nonprofit arts and STEM organizations in the area. Jen says her greatest success has been when people have come together to connect for a bigger purpose. When Two Frays partnered with a local afterschool STEM program in Garfield, the special launch was their most successful ever because people rallied to support the kids in the community.
No bounds
Jen partially credits her experience at Lehigh for her approach as a business owner. As a chemical engineering major, she had peers who were 50% female and a gender diverse faculty. She also came from an all-female high school, so she didn’t immediately notice the limitations of her gender when she went into the workplace. It took a long time before she saw the barriers. When she did, she became committed to removing those professional barriers at Two Frays.
Home away from home
Jen serves as an executive leading at a global industrial company in addition to running the brewery with her husband. Her happy place after a long day is sitting down at the counter of Two Frays. It’s become an extension of her home because she and Mike live only two blocks away from their brewery. Jen loves that there is always someone she knows hanging out, sharing a pizza, or visiting with their pets to reconnect with each other and disconnect from the craziness of their day. Together, Jennifer and Mike have turned their passion into a thriving brewery that embodies inclusivity, community, and breaking barriers.
