The name is set. The location locked down. A logo has even emerged.
All that’s missing for the owners of Herald Street Brew Works is for Victoria council to support its liquor license.
Located at 506 Herald Street in the centre of what’s become known as the Brewery District, owners Mike and Lee Spence, who also own the Drake Eatery, have been working for nearly two years on opening a new brewpub.
Working alongside Steel & Oak Brewing from New Westminster, the plan is for Herald Street Brew Works to produce its own beer and serve it on-site to customers, much like other brewpubs in the area.
The challenge, however, is securing the proper licensing while at the same time working within the city’s current zoning bylaws.
According to the owners, zoning restrictions in the area allow for breweries but only allow the brewing production area to take up 35 per cent of the floor space.
"With the restrictions on production space, this would not allow room for doing traditional packaging in bottles or cans for distribution to stores so all product we produce must be sold to customers in our tasting room and some through our growler fill station for take home," says Mike Spence.
In order to sell its product in-house, the brew pub needs what’s called a "lounge endorsement" added to its manufacturing liquor license.
Despite some concerns from the Downtown Residents Association surrounding noise and hours of operations, city staff are recommending council approve the lounge endorsement.
Staff also support the brewpub operating from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily and have a maximum occupant load of 178 people.
The owners say the brewpub will be an all-ages, family-friendly venue meant to be a safe and comfortable gathering space for community.
If a liquor licensed is supported and approved, it’s unclear when the brewpub could open.
According to the Herald Street Brew Works' Facebook page, the brewpub will open “when the planets align.”
Victoria council is scheduled to discuss the licensing recommendation Thursday morning.
