By Hannah Wente | Photography by Hillary Schave
Jessica and Erika Jones have been together for 21 years — half of Jessica’s lifetime. They met at a summer camp in 2003.
“It was love at first sight for some,” jokes Erika.
After getting to know each other throughout Jessica’s senior year of college at UW-Madison and during Erika’s tenure at AmeriCorps in the Twin Cities, the two married in 2006.
Today, they are co-owners of Giant Jones Brewery on Main Street in Madison — a dream that was 10 years in the making. Erika focuses on the business side, and Jessica focuses on brewing certified organic beer.
“We have attention to detail and capacity for different things,” explains Jessica.
Outside of out-of-town jaunts, the two are never in a different room for more than four hours at a time — a testament to their communication skills and similarities.
“We’re the same person,” says Jessica. “We share a wardrobe, and our tastes are the same. We have mutual interests — we love building community around those things, whether it’s beer or a four-course dinner party.”
Giant Jones opened in 2019. Weathering the pandemic and navigating the first five years of a small business is no small feat. For years, the couple were the only employees and typically didn’t pull a salary, which placed a lot of stress on the women as they sought to expand their business.
“One person might need more support than the other person. We have a rule that we can’t be sick or stressed at the same time,” says Erika.
Ultimately, their relationship is built on trust and mutual admiration. It’s a sentiment that carries through to how they interact with employees and the product itself.
“I feel like you’re so talented in creating flavor,” Erika tells Jessica. “I love being able to support your talent and share that with everybody.”
The feeling is mutual.
“When you say, ‘This is amazing,’ I just f*cking light up,” responds Jessica. “I’m really inspired
by you. Your enthusiasm for the things you’re interested in makes me want to nurture that.”
What’s one tradition that you both cherish?
“We have this great cake tradition. The last digit of your age is how many cakes you get, from one to 10. I make the cakes and text people to come over and eat them.” – Jessica Jones
