CORNER BROOK, N.L. — Ray Brake believes there’s plenty of room for several craft breweries in the Corner Brook area, but his company wants to tap deeper into the local market.
Brake is co-owner of Crooked Feeder Brewing, which began making its line of craft beers publicly available from its Cormack location last November.
Now, he and his partners, Cory Wight and Robert Sutton, are expanding beyond beers to the restaurant business.
The company is taking over the space on the lower level of the Millbrook Mall in Corner Brook formerly occupied by Gitano’s.
Poised for a soft opening around mid-June, the Crooked Feeder Gastropub is anticipated to be fully open by about the end of June.
“We looked around at half a dozen locations, but Gitano’s seemed to have the best fit,” said Brake.
The company wanted a downtown location. The West Street area is already developing a bit of an identity for craft beers with the opening of Bootleg Brewery and another that’s anticipated to be included in the new boutique hotel being built just down the street.
Brake doesn’t feel there’s a glut of craft beers developing in the city. Rather the opposite, he believes the more the merrier.
“Any true craft beer enthusiast won’t stick to one location,” said Brake. “We’re all heavily invested in our own businesses. We have to realize that it benefits us all to support each other where we can and to create that business where you can do the circuit of craft beers.”
In fact, when Crooked Feeder started off, other craft breweries invited them in as a guest tap at their locations.
Brake said they plan to return the favour and do the same.
The gastropub menu is still being worked out, but Brake said there will be something for everyone at affordable prices.
“We’re not trying to benchmark ourselves against the previous establishment,” he said of the fine dining experience previously offered at Gitano’s. “We’re going to be a new entity with a new footprint.”
It won’t just be craft beer available at the pub. The establishment will offer the full list of other beers, wines and spirits, along with local entertainment, on occasion.
“We don’t want anyone leaving because they’re hungry or because someone doesn’t want a craft beer,” he said.
The pub will also feature a retail section where fans of Crooked Feeder’s beers will be able to fill up their growler or grunter and take it home with them.
gary.kean@thewesternstar.com
Twitter: WS_GaryKean
