With a few exceptions 2002 Richmond Virginia was a beer desert. A couple good local microbreweries and a small tap house were all that was offered to the many beer enthusiasts that reside here.
In May of that year Matt Simmons, General Manager of the Legend Brewing Company Pub, noticed a “for lease” sign in the window at 623 East Main Street. After inspecting the building he reported the find to his other beer enthusiast friends Mike and Linda Jones and Chris Holder the later of whom also managed the Legend Pub.
It was their determination that the 25’ wide by half-a-city-block-long space should be transformed into Richmond’s beer oasis. That was the easy part. Meetings were then held where subjects such as what should we do with all the junk in the building, how pretty do the bathrooms really need to be, what kind on flooring, and many other points of contention between the partners. The meetings finished with the tasting of prospective beers which seemed to change the mood from “what have we gotten ourselves into” to “we can do this”.
A yard sale was held where people bought things that were thought to surely end up in the dump. They sold glasses, dishes, red vinyl booth seats, tables, chairs, lamps, an old washing machine, neon lights, car fenders and scrap metal. Left behind were some 60’s era highchairs and a bowling ball engraved with the name “Linda”.
Sledgehammers, pry bars, saws-alls and dump trucks were commissioned and the wrecking commenced. The 105 year old building was in for a gutting and make-over whether it liked it or not. At times if fought back with broken pipes, dropping things on our heads and electrical wires that “looked” dead, but it eventually succumbed to our vision. Matt’s brother Bob Simmons and his friend Gabe Carlson drove up from Florida and joined Bob Kupesky, Matt Delap and Dennis Brewer in transforming the building’s shell into an enormous amount of wood that needed staining.
They knew they wanted a dark finish to the wood, but what color to paint the walls? Professionals were consulted about colors, faux finishes and effects but they were still undecided until Linda, after a few beers at the end of a meeting, convinced them to paint it peach. Peach!?! Friends and new employees that were wondering what was taking them so long and would do anything to just get the place open helped with the massive wood finishing and peach colored painting project.
A friend of Matt’s gave them the idea of having a strip of ice running though the middle of the bar to help keep the beers cold. They quickly dismissed the idea as not just crazy but crazy-expensive. Still, the idea kept resurfacing in several post-meeting beer tasting sessions and it was soon decided to spare no expense in its creation. Our air-conditioning and refrigeration guy Brian Ridge, thought it was crazy too but needed less beer than us to determine it could be done. Now the feature draws many to view and touch this “Tavern Wonder” and our bartenders still laugh and act like it’s the first time they’ve every heard the zamboni idea.
Prints of old postcards were placed on the walls to tie the restaurant to its Richmond roots, track and pendant lighting was added and the effect was a comfortable, warm and inviting place to partake in conversation and good beer. The Capital Ale House was only missing a few letters… CO and ABC. The last minute scramble for their Certificate of Occupancy and an ABC license ended with us serving long-time friend Ken McBee the first beer at the Capital Ale House.
The Ale House was now open. Five months of mistakes, set backs and listening to nay-sayers were over. The guests were streaming in the door and buying good beers. The owners found that more was accomplished in the post meeting beer tasting sessions than the meetings themselves. Grinning over their glasses of good ale they think “we got it right”.
Business was booming and it wasn’t long before Mike Jones found the former Damon’s at the Innsbrook Shoppes in Richmond’s west end. The space was nearly twice as big as the original Ale House and thus, able to hold more beer and more people. With a complete renovation and a massive beer cooler with seventy-seven taps installed, the Capital Ale House became Virginia’s draught beer king. The Innsbrook location quickly became the go to place for the local after work crowd and many can’t finish an Innsbrook After Hours concert without a beer at the Ale House. Patio diners enjoy the water feature, ducks, turtles and birds. It’s like having a beer in the wild kingdom.
The Company has been very lucky to have attracted a great staff. Several members have been with them from the beginning. Rachel Ryan, Bernadette Hayes, Jacob Brunow, Angie Partenope, Suzanne McElhatton and Lenny Hall have all helped make Capital Ale House what it is today. They’re also very proud of the fact that of the eighteen salaried managers and support staff all but two were promoted from within. The inmates are now running the asylum.
The Capital Ale House has been successful in the advancement of “beer culture”. Good beer, good food, good conversation. It’s what they are about, its what they will always be about.
To be continued…..
Our Story Part Two:
In the summer of 2006 it was just too loud to ignore! The cries of “when are you coming south of the rivah?” were deafening. The canned answer of “if we ever decide to open another restaurant it will be south of the rivah” was replaced with “The Capital Ale House of Midlothian will open in the spring of 2007! Now you won’t have to cross the river for good beer!”. Well it’s now the winter of 08’ and we’re sorry to report you still have to cross the river for a good beer. The Midlothian Village Square project met many set backs and delays, but the company is pleased to report that the building is up, the interior work is well under way and they’re willing to go out on a limb and say it will open April 1st!
While all the dancing around in Midlothian was going on the copy business next to the Downtown location bugged out. They had always thought “what if we had more room?” and now it was possible. Matt Simmons was inspecting the vacated building and while poking around the attic he saw brick walls. It was immediately determined that the false ceiling and sheetrock walls were coming down. Much to their surprise there were two old fireplaces behind the walls which dated back to the 1880’s and old pine floors were found under several layers of vinyl tile. They built a stage and bathrooms that have crazy sinks with rocks in the basins and the Downtown Music Hall was born.
On June 22nd, 2007 Blues Flash took the stage at 6:00 pm for the first After-Work Brews and Blues show. Less than two hours after getting a certificate of occupancy and an ABC license extension the hall was full of people drinking good beer and listening to great blues music. Since then many great local and national acts have graced their stage making the Music Hall a welcome addition to the Downtown Richmond night life.
About a month later their new Beer Garden opened. Their back alley parking and dumpster area was transformed into a beautiful, European style beer garden that seats 80 outdoor beer-drinking enthusiasts. Under the shade of a royal paulownia tree and with the relaxing sound of the Munich inspired fountain, steins of beer are enjoyed much like they are in Europe.
With the success of the Downtown expansion and the soon to be open Midlothian Virginia location they were feeling great about their Capital Ale House restaurants. The mission to “augment the guest’s beer drinking experience” as co-founder Linda Jones would say must continue…in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The 25’ wide by 267’ deep, 150+ year old building located at 917 East Caroline Street in the Historic District of Fredericksburg, Virginia is the next stop for theses purveyors of great beer. Planned is an 80’ long bar, 300 square foot beer cellar, private dining rooms and wood burning fireplace. The design will be respectful of the building’s history and compliment the old brick, wood beams and pine flooring of this time tested building.
Excitement builds as the completion of these projects progress. Beyond those, yes, the mission of beer drinking experience augmentation will continue.
