Adam RasmussenChannel 2 News
The midtown district of downtown Reno stretches from California Avenue south to Regency Way, and it's still going through a facelift.
A now vacant building on the corner of Taylor and Center Streets will transform into Brasserie St. James Brew Pub. They still have a long way to go, but construction is well underway.
The owner of the future pub also owns St. James Infirmary on California Avenue, and says he thinks this new pub will be a big success.
The building may not look like much now, but by Spring construction is set to be complete. Owner Art Farley wanted to expand St. James Infirmary and take things to the next level.
"If I was going to do something else I wanted to do something I can grow beyond Reno," he says. "Beer seemed like the natural thing to go to."
Farley's pub will start brewing eight to 12 beers right of the bat, and offer locally-sourced food similar to what European pubs serve. But the building plus brewery and kitchen equipment doesn't come cheap.
"Well over a million (dollars)," he says. "We've got some financing from Nevada State Bank. I've got a couple small investors and myself."
Some of those other midtown businesses are thrilled with the progress Farley is making. The owner of Chapel Tavern says the more businesses that start-up in the midtown neighborhood, the more customers will be exploring everything it has to offer. He says this new pub will only add to the midtown spirit.
"We all work together, we all trade customers back and forth and all my employees go to all those businesses, and they all come to us," says Duncan Mitchell.
Craft Wine and Beer owner Ty Martin is a part of that tight-knit group. He hopes the best for Farley's new brew pub, saying it's a vital addition to the core of Reno.
"Great building that otherwise wouldn't have been anything I think for a long time," says Martin. "I couldn't think of a better purpose for that building."
It was just days ago Buckbean Brewery in Reno announced they plan on closing their doors for good. Farley says in the beginning there were some fears involved dealing with such a big investment, but he's confident that success begins in just a few months.
"We're invested in Reno and I think we have a recipe that we won't fail," he says.
Farley says the restaurant will hold about 300 people indoors and outdoors, and he plans on hiring right around 30 employees to start.
