Somerville Beer Works proposed for Social Security building. Meetings 9/23 and 10/21

[ron_newman]

According to an email from the Davis Action Group, Beer Works proposes to move into the long-vacant Social Security space at 240 Elm Street. This is a regional chain with other locations near Fenway Park and North Station, as well as Salem, Lowell, Hingham, and Framingham.

A public meeting will be held on-site at 6 pm on Monday, September 23. A Licensing Commission hearing will follow on October 21 at 6 pm at the TAB building, 167 Holland Street.

The on-site meeting was originally scheduled for July 31, but was postponed.

I'm not much of a beer snob, so I'm asking those of you who are: what do you think of Beer Works beer? Does it compare well to Cambridge Brewing Company, Slumbrew, Pretty Things, and other local favorites?

[ETA: links to discussion of previous, withdrawn proposal for World of Beer: April 10 | April 13 | April 17 | April 20 | April 22]

Comments

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

beer is meh, food is meh, atmosphere is frat crossed with sports bar. On pats/sox/bruins nights, its going to be a nightmare

[ron_newman]

sounds like Joshua Tree * 4 ?

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Imagine if Tavern in the Square brewed a wide variety of (somewhat OK but mediocre-ish) beer instead of having a somewhat large tap list of (somewhat OK but mediocre) beer.

I do kind of enjoy Beer Works blueberry ale on hot summer days, but in general the place is an acceptible place to grab a pint/pub food (that said, on a recent day trip to Salem, my wife and I went out of our way to find something independent as an alternative).

[ceo]

I would be thrilled to see Beer Works move in (though I'd be happier with an independent); I've wished for a long time for a brewpub in Davis. I like their beer not as well as CBC but better than John Harvard's. Food is better than CBC but too chain-pub-like for my preference.

[ethanfield.livejournal.com]

I agree with this. Better a fairly local chain than a national one. The physical space is so large (and currently lacks the food service infrastructure) that it's probably too big of a front-end investment risk for a completely local/independent place.

Might be too early to characterize it; the Fenway Location has a different feel from the TD Garden location. Culture is partly established by who goes there; it could go in a more John Harvard's-y direction.

Beer is fine, food is fine. I sheepishly confess to liking their blueberry beer served with a handful of blueberries in it (mostly for the novelty). Honestly, it'd be nice to have someplace in Davis to go to watch a game or hang out where the accompanying food isn't $20 a plate. (Mike's is great, but they only have so much space.)

[ron_newman]

I don't yet know if Beer Works wants the entire space. The previous proposal, World of Beer, wanted only part of it.

[World of Beer discussion: April 10 | April 13 | April 17 | April 20 | April 22]

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Ron, was it ever stated what "local fitness establishment" was going to go into the top floor in the World of Beer proposal? Or was that this one? It's gone around so many times I've lost track..

[ron_newman]

Sorry, I don't know anything beyond what I posted. This would be a good question to ask at Monday's meeting.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Quite true, just figured I'd ask to see if that triggered your memory at all :) I'm going to do my best to attend the meeting, I tend to have classes during that time frame and it can get a bit dicey.

[ron_newman]

I usually enjoy going to these meetings and taking notes to post here on LJ, but I can't go to this one. I'm hoping someone else here can. (And I should probably make a new post soon asking if anyone can do this.)

ETA: One other thing I've heard, but can't confirm, is that Dunkin Donuts would move off the corner of Elm and Chester, onto Elm Street itself.

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

It might be Esh Aerial Arts: www.eshaerialarts.com, since they want to move from Cambridge to Somerville.

There was a hearing tonight (wednesday) at city hall about getting the needed permits.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

Yes, please. Even if I don't end up going there, Davis square bars are saturated on weekends, especially with colleges back in session. If Beer Works can suck away some of the college crowd from the nicer Davis bars I would be very happy.

[myselftheliar.livejournal.com]

This is a really good point- it is obvious that many students somewhat begrudgingly end up in the higher end spots on the weekends when Joshua Tree etc reach max, (Foundry, for example), and if Beer Works can siphon some of that out, all the better for the square at large.

Also they have deep fried pickles.

[wintahill.livejournal.com]

I would be happy to see something finally happening with that building, it has been vacant for far too long. I am a big fan of good beers in general, be it from brew pubs or packaged from craft breweries. I try to stay away from the Bud, Miller, Coors products as much as possible. I find Davis Sq bars are often far too crowded after work or on the weekends to pop in for a quick drink, so hopefully another larger place could help thin out the crowds a little bit.

That being said I am not a big fan of Beer Works beers or food. They are no Cambridge Brewing Company for sure, the beer quality is probably similar to that of John Harvard's as others have said but John Harvard's food is a lot better in my opinion.

[chris saccardi (from livejournal.com)]

Beer Works would be disappointing. It's very generic. Food is sports bar typical and the beer is okay, but not even close to the interesting microbrews you mention. It would be better than a non-restaurant/bar in that space, but it would be much nicer to have a unique sort of place along the lines of 5 Horses. As someone else mentioned, maybe a plus would be that it would draw a lot of people for the cheap, generic food/beer so the good bars would be less crowded.

[ron_newman]

It would be better than a non-restaurant/bar in that space

If it were up to me, what I'd most like to see in that space is a grocery of some sort -- Trader Joe's or locally-based equivalent.

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

I'd be thrilled to have a TJ's in the square, but if they wouldn't go for the old Star Market spot on Broadway (or was that even seriously considered?), I can't see them putting one in a much smaller space--and that's aside from the whole "saturation" issue. They probably figure that between Arlington, Alewife, Cambridgeport & Boylston St. that we've got all the stores we need, although I'd like to point out that getting a significant quantity of groceries back home from any of these is a major PITA if you don't have a car, and Cambridgeport is a major bitch just to get to without one, never mind dragging stuff home.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

I also would take Trader Joe's over Beer Works, but I think your point nails it. The social security building has been available for three years. I seriously doubt that that company never noticed and never considered it. It's seriously annoying getting to the existing Trader Joe's locations around here, even with a car.

The aldermen don't have the ability to wave a wand and have whatever business they want move into an available location. You'd think they would have figured that out by now. Personally, I think Beer Works is a decent option, even if it is not everyone's very first choice.

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

Wait, isn't an alderman supposed to show up and reprimand the Evil Chain Restaurant for daring to try to sully our fair square with their "business"? *waits*

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

I mean, it's a "drinking hole." And we certainly don't need those in the square, when we have fine establishments like the Joshua Tree and Sligo around.

[ron_newman]

what's your opinion of Beer Works, both as a restaurant and as a brewer?

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

I think it's perfectly serviceable, and good for large parties; I was at Beer Works by North Station last night for dinner with friends. But I'm just waiting for the pearl clutching to begin.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I've quite enjoyed several of the beers I've had at the Beer Works locations in Salem and Fenway; as others have mentioned, the Blueberry beer with actual fresh blueberries bobbing up and down is always fun. The food's nothing terrific.

And as others predicted, the Aldermen have stepped up to protest the idea, saying it could "turn Davis Square into a drinking destination" (which somehow the nearby presence of Saloon, Joshua Tree, Burren, Sligo, Foundry, Redbones, and Five Horses didn't?)

http://somerville.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/concern-over-proposed-somerville-beer-works

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

But don't you know, a chain is different? Chaaaaaaaaiiiiiiinnnnnnnn. Chaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnn. It's evil and must not be allowed to darken Davis Square.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Here's the thing: I don't necessarily disagree. We have a LOT of places to get a casual or upscale-casual snack/meal and a drink in Davis Sq. I'd almost say we have a glut of them. They seem to all do good business, true, but I'm not convinced we really need a sports brewpub chain. I'd also rather see something more functional. Maybe someplace like Bee's Knees (http://www.beeskneessupply.com).

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

Well then, you really ought to open something along the lines of Bee's Knees in the space.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

That article is really disappointing to me. I really don't get Gewirtz's idea for "retail" there. I know some people will forever love mom and pop shops, but the world is moving to buying retail online. Just walk down the streets of Somerville in December and look at peoples' porches. The convenience retail need is already served well by Porter Square. There is no retail store I can imagine there that would be of any value to me while Beer Works would be, which is probably why Beer Works is trying to move in and some retail establishment is not. I wish she would be more specific.

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

Beerworks is kind of a touristy bar. For instance, there are ones near fenway, the garden, the Tsongas, and in downtown Salem. I'm not sure if I see what would get me to go to the one in davis over any of the other fine establishments there. But I do agree with the notion that more nightlife options will improve the general quality of the higher-end places such as Redbones and Foundry.

I agree that some retail could be useful as well. I'd like to see a purveyor of non-secondhand, affordable clothing in Davis. Urban Outfitters or H&M maybe? If a non-chain could provide reasonably-priced clothes as well that would be great.

[ron_newman]

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