There are a few real estate spots in Glendale that are restaurant graveyards. Spaces where the turnover in signage is hotter than an actual turnover.
But this post over on the Tavour blog got me to thinking about the same concept but with a brewery. And here in Los Angeles
The Stalking Horse took over the old Steingarten spot on Pico and with a brewing system and a new British theme have made the spot their own but that is within a restaurant. What happens if an L.A. brewery changed hands? What would need to change to attract a growing clientele to a “new” taproom?
I would say that the beer would have to be easily seen (and tasted) as better. Most beer consumers (heck, most consumers overall) don’t know who is running where they are buying from and might assume that it is a simple name change or brand change. A change in beer style won’t move the needle in my opinion without that quality going up. I am not discounting the powerful effect of branding or a re-design of a taproom space but those get people in the door for one visit.
I think that L.A. will see more “new breweries – old spaces” in the coming years as a way to get over the barrier of entry that creating a whole new brewery in Los Angeles makes you leap. But the outreach needed to get better beer into the hands of buyers will be great.
Interesting topic. I suspect we will see more changeover at L.A. breweries. Ultimately, people mainly focus on what’s in the glass and whether it’s a cool hangout, and sadly, not who’s pulling the levers behind the scenes.
True. It sometimes take unsavory news for people to peek behind the curtain.