Brew Pub, Wine Bar Park on The BLVD in Lancaster

Connoisseurs of craft beers and fine wines will have two new reasons to go to downtown Lancaster. Kinetic Brewing Co. and Pour d’Vino are preparing to open this month in storefronts along The BLVD. The two local businesses are the latest examples of the transformation taking place in the downtown area to create a dining and entertainment corridor for residents and visitors. Brewmaster Steve Kinsey and his business partners own Kinetic Brewing, while Jody Cherbonneaux and her son, Jason, operate Pour d’Vino. The family-owned Salvadoran/Mexican restaurant Pueblo Viejo sits between the two. “Everybody is working together to help each other out,” Cherbonneaux said. “It is a great environment.” Kinetic Brewing and Pour d’Vino are situated across the street from the Lancaster Performing Arts Center and the new Laemmle Theatre. Owners anticipate attracting patrons from both venues, as well as customers who appreciate wine and beer not typically found elsewhere. Pour d’Vino will serve 100 varieties of wine. Kinetic will have 28 taps, with about one-third set aside for beer brewed on site and another 12 for guest craft beers. “We are putting in so many taps of local beer that we never have to go to the big guys,” Kinsey said. Cherbonneaux and Kinsey followed different paths to get to downtown Lancaster. Cherbonneaux, who co-owns an interior decorating firm, saw how popular wine bars became where she lives in Santa Clarita. Her son Jason recommended taking a look at Lancaster as a good place to open one. Kinsey had been a sound designer and editor in the entertainment industry. He switched careers to pursue full-time his hobby of home brewing beer. Kinetic and Pour d’Vino represent the type of tenant the city’s looking to attract as it aims to create an entertainment, dining and shopping hub downtown, said Chenin Dow, a redevelopment assistant with the city. “They are the first of their kind in the Antelope Valley,” Dow said. The two new businesses, plus Pueblo Viejo, were the first to receive $40,000 from the city for façade improvements. As long as the businesses remain open for five years, the money is considered a grant that does not have to be repaid, Dow said. Without the money, Cherbonneaux said she would not have been able to fix up her location as she wanted, particularly the outdoor rooftop patio with fireplace. “It made a huge difference,” Cherbonneaux said. Kinetic also received financial backing from Scott Ehrlich, the developer who has been involved with several downtown Lancaster developments. Ehrlich put about $200,000 into the brewpub. At a time when commercial real estate struggles to fill space, Ehrlich said investing in small businesses creates not just tenants, but viable tenants. Ehrlich has also put money into the Brooklyn Deli, the restaurant BeX, and a shoe store in downtown Lancaster. “I believe (Kinetic) will be the most profitable of all the businesses,” Ehrlich said. The brewing equipment at Kinetic can make 10 barrels of beer sold by the glass or in half gallon “growler” jugs, Kinsey said. Making the beer on premises requires licensing from the U.S. Department of Treasury. Once the beer becomes available, Kinsey wants to do cross-promotions with the Lancaster JetHawks baseball team, the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds and hotels in the area. He also wants to make Kinetic a pit stop for beer enthusiasts, who take road trips in search of good beer. “They will make this a destination,” Kinsey said. Cyrena Nouzille, general manager and co-owner of Ladyface Ale Companie, has already seen evidence of beer tourism at the alehouse and brasserie she operates with David Griffiths in Agoura Hills. She has customers who visit from out of town for the expressed purpose of stopping by Ladyface, camping out on the patio and drinking craft beers. Kinsey may find the same thing happens in Lancaster. “He is off to a great start,” Nouzille said.