From auto shop to two-story brew pub

Out with the old and in with the brew seems to be a familiar motto in San Francisco. Divisadero Street is no exception, with a former auto body shop now being replaced by a two-story brewery and restaurant.

Owner Ivan Hopkinson plans to name the new establishment Barrel Head Brew Pub. Brew pubs, essentially restaurants that brew their own beer on the premises, have been popping up all over SF Bay. This will be the 10th to open up in The City.

Along with locally crafted beer, the restaurant will sell traditional pub food like sausages and buffalo wings. Although a former auto repair shop may seem like an odd location to open a pub, Hopkinson a 12-year resident of the neighborhood, has had his eye on it for many years. He told Local Addition:

“I used to walk past this garage and go ‘Man, I need to open a brewery there,’ and finally, it became available.”

While Hopkinson has high hopes for his new beer palace, the 834 Divisadero Street location will have to jump through plenty of hoops before construction can start. Despite this, the former assistant brewer at the Beach Chalet restaurant in Golden Gate Park hopes to have the place open as soon as eight months from now.

Brewing beer is a family affair for Hopkinson who has been around brewing equipment since the age of 11. Now his 4-year-old son, Ozzie, is along for the ride. The two have been brewing root beer together at home and taking regular trips to Magnolia Brewery, another SF brew pub.