Fort Point Beer Co. Plans Mission District Brewpub

Fort Point Beer Co. is submitting plans for a brewery and fast-casual restaurant within the Mission District factory space occupied by bag company Timbuk2. Fort Point and Timbuk2 would share an entrance at 20th and Shotwell, and Timbuk2 would continue manufacturing on the premises, but move their factory store space to accommodate the brewpub.

Fort Point, founded in 2014 by brothers Tyler and Justin Catalana, is based in a former Army building that’s not accessible to the public. Its core business is brewing and self-distributing beer, but Justin Catalana tells Eater he’s been looking for a space “where people can really get to know us.”

Although the brewery opened a small Ferry Building taproom last year, doubling its size in March, that location is decidedly modest. Timbuk2, founded in 1989, occupies a much larger footprint: It’s held events with Fort Point — they’re both members of local manufacturing nonprofit SFMade — and approached the brewery about taking over its surplus space earlier this year.

The proposed brewpub would be open from 11 a.m. to midnight for beer and food like sausages at communal tables, Catalana says. Fort Point would brew specialty beers onsite, offering those exclusively at the Mission District space alongside its wider releases.

Timbuk2 via Yelp

Fort Point and Timbuk2 representatives met with neighbors in the space last night, where some were wary of a new business serving alcohol and converting the space to restaurant use, especially in an area that’s been subject to gentrification for years. “They expressed to us, and this was not opposition to a single project, but that any new restaurant or alcohol use is furthering this cycle,” Catalana says. He, in turn, emphasizes that the brewpub would be affordable, casual, and open to all ages. Still, “it’s hard to convey that the vibe is not gonna be high-end or rowdy. Some neighbors have heard that before, to be honest, and then the opposite has happened, and the trust isn’t there.”

Fort Point will continue listening to neighbors and appear before the Planning Commission. If all goes smoothly, the Mission restaurant and brewery could be open within a year.

• SF-Based Beermakers Pitch Mission District Brewpub [Mission Local]