A new artisan establishment featuring gourmet food, craft beer and fine wine could be headed to downtown SLO’s Mission District. Located at 1234 Broad St., the current home to Furniture Factory in the old Villa Automotive building, the new venue is said to feature an open floor plan for a restaurant, outdoor patio, beer and wine services, and several lease spaces, all with a common gathering area. Modeled after successful ventures in Los Olivos, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, it aims to attract local professionals as well as tourists seeking a more sophisticated and unique downtown experience. Insiders say the goal is not only to promote local agriculture, boutique wine makers and craft beer industries but also to renovate a prominent corner in the downtown corridor.
Just down the road at 1029 Chorro St., next to Luna Red, a new BarrelHouse Brewing Co. location is being planned to be much more than a SLO version of their current Paso Robles location. Citing early Americana branding as inspiration, the second location is said to be a speakeasy-style taproom that incorporates elements of the historic building’s past as well as the brewery’s most unique barrel aged and sour beers. The prohibition-era experience is slated to open this spring.