Ex Novo Brewery

With a bold vision for a brewery, brewer Joel Gregory turned to SUM to bring Ex Novo Brewing to life. After exploring multiple concepts and sites, the team landed on a former lighting manufacturing building in North Portland, rich with character and perfectly suited for the start-up’s ambitions.

SUM embraced the existing structure, layering in custom lighting, reclaimed timber, and a 16-foot live-edge bar top to create a space that felt authentic and inviting from day one. Interior walls wrapped in angled reclaimed fence boards and a large overhead door opening to a nearby park connect the brewery to its community and surroundings.

Located just off one of Portland’s busiest bike routes, Ex Novo blends craft, cause, and place cementing its role in the city’s celebrated beer scene.