Fort George brewery expands

Published 5:00 pm Saturday, October 31, 2009

The owners of the Fort George Brewery and Public House in Astoria have taken a quantum leap to grow their business:

Jack Harris and Chris Nemlowill recently purchased the building that houses their microbrewery and pub, the large Lovell Building down the block, and nearby properties.

The Lovell Building is known locally as the former home of Ocean Crest Chevrolet, which moved to Warrenton a few years ago. The building has sat vacant ever since, previously owned by Astoria developer Robert Stricklin. Various plans to use the

building as a non-profit center never quite got off the ground.

Harris said the expansion is part of a long term vision he and Nemlowill have to grow their brewery business.

“We were outgrowing the space,” he said of the brewery and pub on Duane Street, next to the Blue Scorcher Bakery and Cafe.

Harris said owning the Fort George building means they can expand the restaurant and brewery upstairs to the second floor, to provide additional restaurant and pub space, and have an area for special events – while still being able to keep the downstairs pub open to the public.

The Lovell Building’s 30,000 sq. ft of space will allow Harris and Nemlowill more than enough room to expand their brewery facilities to meet growing demand.

The brewery has about 26 local commercial accounts to whom they distribute kegs of beer. They also distribute about 60 kegs a month to Portland pubs. Almost all of their beer is made with organic ingredients.

Nemlowill and Harris could sell more beer if they had to room to produce it, but their current facility can only produce about nine barrels at a time.

“We hope to go to a 30-barrel system,” Nemlowill said.

The company is also looking at canning their own brews.

“We want to package beer in 16 oz. cans,” Harris said.

The business partners are also thinking in terms of the environment.

“About 75 percent of cans get recycled,” Nemlowill said. “You can’t put class in curbside recycling.”

As part of the property purchase, Harris and Nemlowill also bought the parking lot between Ft. George and the Lovell Building, the old rental car parking lot across the street from the Ft. George Brewery, and a nearby plot that once housed a community garden.

“We really appreciate all the community support,” Harris said of the pub’s loyal customers, one of whom is a local artisan woodworker who built the pub’s large booths out of cedar wood. “People have been really great.”

Both Harris and Nemlowill had praise for the City of Astoria.

“The city has been really supportive,” Nemlowill said, adding that Community Development Director Brett Estes has been a great resource as they have worked to develop the project. Nemlowill also named economic development agency CEDR as an asset in this process.

Harris said the Bank of Astoria provided funding for the property purchase, helping secure an SBA loan. With stimulus package opportunities, Nemlowill said the duo saved $20,000 in closing costs.

“We were also very lucky to have Robert Stricklin as a landlord,” he said. Stricklin was the former owner of all the properties purchased by Harris and Nemlowill in this recent transaction.

Harris said initial plans are to do some clean up and beautification efforts to make the properties look better in time for the upcoming Astoria Bicentennial.

The Fort George Brewery and Public House stands on the location once occupied by historic Fort George, a pivotal location in Astoria’s long history.

“You’re still within the walls of the original Fort George,” Harris said. “We are going to be ground zero for the Astoria Bicentennial.”