BLUE FOLDER ITEM
Blue folder items are additional back up material to administrative reports and/or public comments received after the printing and distribution of the agenda packet for receive and file.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
FEBRUARY 21, 2023
F.5 CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR -
The Closed Session is authorized by the Government Code Section 54956.8.
AGENCY NEGOTIATOR:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
Greg Kapovich, Waterfront & Economic Development Director PROPERTY:
International Boardwalk
132 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(a portion of APN: 7505-002-932)
NEGOTIATING PARTIES:
Adam Goldberg, The Brews Hall
Joe Smith, Project Barley
Jacob Moreno, Redondo Sports Fishing
Jason Kolb, Scholb Premium Ales
Andrew Fowler, Los Angeles Ale Works
Dave Davis, Hermosa Brewing Co.
Miguel Escobar, Gypset
UNDER NEGOTIATION:
Both Price and Terms
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
From: Becky Kim
To: CityClerk
Cc: Todd Loewenstein; Nils Nehrenheim; Christian Horvath; Laura Emdee; Zein Obagi Subject: Item F5 - Support for Scholb Brewery at the Former King Harbor Brewery Site Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 9:57:01 AM
CAUTION: Email is from an external source; Stop, Look, and Think before opening attachments or links.
Rebekah Kim
RE: Support Scholb Premium Ales, Inc – Lease of Space on the International Boardwalk Vacated by King Harbor Brewing Co.
Dear Mayor Brand and Councilmembers:
As a proud local Redondo Beach resident and business owner, I respectfully request your support for our local Scholb Premium Ales brewery to be selected for the lease of space at the recently vacated King Harbor Brewing Co. site on the International Boardwalk.
Although we mourn the loss of our beloved King Harbor brewery, I strongly support the continuity of local and reputable representation from our South Bay craft beer industry, especially at our Boardwalk.
Scholb Premium Ales is a small, family owned and operated brewery by Redondo Beach resident Jason Kolb. He and his wife Allison have lived in Redondo Beach for 15 years and have children at Adams Middle School and Redondo Union High School.
Aside from running their small business, both Jason and Allison are familiar faces in the community. Whether it’s a school-related event or a neighborhood block party, you will see them serving and supporting in some capacity.
We’re not only lucky to have them as our neighbors, but for bringing such a well-respected craft brewery to our community. Scholb Brewery is labeled by many as the Gem in the South Bay. They have made their space a welcoming place for beer connoisseurs to families and friends to gather.
You may already be familiar with Scholb beers because they are already collaborating with other Boardwalk businesses like the Slip Bar & Eatery and Kincaids providing diverse and quality options at our Redondo Beach pier. It is beyond exciting to imagine that they may have their own taproom there for Redondo Beach residents to enjoy with their families.
I again ask for your positive consideration and support for bringing our local Scholb brewery to the Boardwalk and bringing these two Redondo Beach gems together for our local residents! Sincerely,
Rebekah Kim
100 S International Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310.372.6408
One of the largest and finest seafood markets on the West Coast! www.qualityseafood.com
February 21, 2023
Re: 132 International Boardwalk (Former King Harbor Brewing Company Location)
To: Mayor Bill Brand, Redondo Beach City Council Members, Greg Kapovich, & City Staff
Greetings All,
I am writing today because I understand that a decision will soon be made on who will receive the opportunity to lease the former site of “King Harbor Brewing Company”, located at 132 International Boardwalk, and I would like to offer my complete and heartfelt support to that opportunity going to “Project Barley”.
Why? To put it simply, they have been an excellent addition to the International Boardwalk business community, they’ve quickly outgrown their current space, and they deserve an opportunity to maximize the impact and potential of their business.
When Project Barley opened for business roughly 18 months ago, I thought it was going to be nice to have another local craft brewery in the area, another option for folks to explore. What I did not expect was that owners Brent Reger and Joe Smith were going to be such fantastic members of our local business community (and downright great humans). Brent and Joe are actively engaged in the betterment of the Boardwalk. They want our businesses to thrive, and they want the Boardwalk to reach its’ full potential as a waterfront destination. I know this because I’ve spent countless hours 100 S International Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310.372.6408
One of the largest and finest seafood markets on the West Coast! www.qualityseafood.com
with them strategizing ways to improve the Boardwalk visitor experience, marketing the Boardwalk as a whole, using cross-promotion tools to support fellow small businesses on the Boardwalk, and creating events to drive visitors to the area. Brent and Joe have been the needed additions to make the “core” of what I can say is the best working group of Boardwalk tenants we’ve had in over a decade.
Most people probably think of Project Barley as just a craft brewery with some live entertainment. It is much more than that. Through Brent and Joe’s vision PB has become a beloved piece of our local music and arts community. With “Teen Tuesday”, they provide a welcoming and safe place for local kids to learn how to play live music in front of a crowd. They do the same for locals of all ages on Thursdays. When a local teen artist got into a serious motorcycle accident, Brent and Joe put together a fundraiser, with support from numerous local businesses, and it was standing room only, and packed on the Boardwalk. Which leads us to their current predicament, space.
Project Barley’s business potential is unknown, they outgrew their space within 6 months of opening, and are at “standing room only” multiple times a week. This has created challenges for the business that can only be mitigated with additional space. An additional issue is the need to keep alcohol off of the Boardwalk, and within the confines of the business. With the increasing popularity of PB, more space is the only solution. And I’d say, with what they’ve shown over the last 18 months, they’ve earned that opportunity. I hope you’ll see fit to give it to them.
I am aware that there are other suitors for the property, mostly other craft beer oriented businesses of varying size, and I think there is ample space on the Boardwalk for them as well. The old “Fun Factory” property will be suitable for lease before too long, and within that massive floor plan I think 100 S International Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310.372.6408
One of the largest and finest seafood markets on the West Coast! www.qualityseafood.com
there’s plenty of room to carve out space for another brewery or craft beer purveyor to thrive.
Lastly, I’d like to point to the past, and to Quality Seafood, as an example of what good can come from allowing those most invested in the success of the International Boardwalk to reach their fullest potential. When we moved from the old pier to the Boardwalk in the mid 1960’s, we did not occupy the massive space we have today. There was not a two-story outdoor dining area, there wasn’t even a parking structure yet. When we opened, we only had the modest portion of our business that sits on the southern end of the boardwalk. Over the next several years, as our popularity grew and grew, we were afforded the opportunities to expand our space along the eastern side of the Boardwalk until we felt we reached our fullest potential. What we have now is an icon that has just entered its’ 70th year of business in Redondo Beach! While I can’t speak for Brent and Joe on how long they plan to run PB, I do hope they’ll be afforded the same opportunity to grow.
Sincerely,
Jeff Jones
CEO/President
Quality Seafood Inc
[email protected]