It’s official. San Jose’s Tied House Cafe and Brewery is gone. But fear not, local beer fans. A new brewery may be taking its place down the street.
The Tied House has been closed since May 4. The owners had hoped to sell the San Pedro Square business to someone who would keep the Tied House name, but no deal materialized. The restaurant’s web site says the business is “temporarily closed for remodeling,” but that language was written in hopes of another party taking over. When that didn’t happen the owners removed all the brewing equipment and locked the doors for good.
“We’re shut down as the Tied House,” said Peter Licht, the brewpub’s former brewmaster.
Licht said the business did well when the Shark’s were in town, but the big space was hard to fill the rest of the time. When the economy went into a tailspin last year business got worse.
“We just kind of hung on,” he said.
The Tied House’s Mountain View location, however, is still going strong.
The good news is Licht is planning to open a production brewery called The Hermitage at the corner of Virginia and S.1st streets with principals from the Tied House and another partner. The industrial space is where all the Tied House’s brewing equipment sits today while the partners await city approval.
Licht’s plan for The Hermitage is to produce high-end, Belgian-style brews and other beers as well as handcrafted sodas like root beer and ginger ale. If they get city approval, he expects the facility will offer a public tasting room, but no restaurant.
The new business already has contracts to brew beer including one for Coastal Fog, Beverage and MoreÕs in-house label. As such, the upstart brewery is in a hurry to start production.
“We have beer ordered that we need to start to produce,” says Licht.
Given that the new brewery would be located across the street from our offices, I’d like to urge the city not to let this opportunity slip away.
So downtown thrives when the Sharks play? No way! And what benefit would 81 more games bring to the city? Hmm, that’s a tough one. But we know those sports owners are always trying to fleece us! Boo stadia at any cost! Dirt and concrete lots forever!
3: Missing the point. Pro sports is a stabilizing force, as proven by the Sharks. Hell, throw in all the other arena events, too. Whereas many ventures have been negligible in their contributions to the livelihood of our city’s core (statues, clean mobiles, etc), an injection of 32K people is far more substantial. It is something upon which to build, not another ornament.
Actually, I think I get the point. And I don’t think much of it. Without the Sharks downtown would be even deader. A city that pins its hopes for success on sports teams is likely in trouble. Sports should complement a city and its downtown, not be the only thing that brings people to the downtown.
I’m not against a stadium per se, but I think the direction we are headed still will not give us a big city downtown but one that merely comes to life based on what game is being played on a particular day. Seems like a pretty tenuous plan for success.
NT,
You took the words right out of my mouth. Could you imagine 81 extra dates of over 32k fans flocking downtown? No way Tied House closes if Cisco Field is open today. And no; the 32k won’t rampage a mile west in SH.
Anyone know what will happen with the current Tied House space? Its an awesome loft-like space with exposed brick and wood beams.
And why set up a brew pub so far south of the downtown core? No disrespect to the editor who wants it conveniently across the street.
A stadium will be a kickstart. It will be part of a major renovation which includes more condo towers, the marketplace development, improved transit and so on. I don’t mean that the whole area will hinge on baseball, just that such would be a giant leap relative to the baby steps of before. It draws the regular Joe downtown.
Have you seen many “big cities?” Nightlife is driven largely by bars and clubs. However, so much complaining is done about how these establishments attract unsavory crowds. Well, with an influx of broader demographics that sports bring, downtown is open to more people who see what’s offered. In turn, the complexion of downtown is altered to meet these new demands.
The process of transformation is not done at the flick of a switch. It takes ventures such as this to get going, not merely stay afloat.
So, now the next big thing to save downtown is a stadium. I guess the previous
“saviors” retail, housing, arena, City Hall, etc., etc. don’t count anymore. Make room for the new kid, until that doesn’t work and then we’ll find the next new big thing to save downtown. If only…
#5
Well said; articulate, cogent, and reasoned.
As long as SJC is in its current location, downtown will never blossom. People can live in a fantasy world all they want in regard to this issue, but some of us live in the real world, and look at issues unemotionally, with logic, and only deal with the facts.
The fact is, as long as SJC is downtown, downtown is DOA. No stadium, housing, resturant, airport supporter, or whatever will change this fact.
Sj’s inferiority complex seems to require that it be a big city with a downtown.
Many MLB, NFL, and NBA cities are smaller than SJ. They apparently don’t believe size matters.
Most SJ residents could not care less about DT SJ; and have little or no interest in making one happen. This is suburbia, people. When will the DT boosters finally figure that out?
Let’s see—Senora Emmas has been closed and empty for a long time now, Tied House shuts down, Picasso’s on SP Square is now Blake’s again, the former Laundry Works empty for a while, as well, and the McEnery dynasty gets millions of taxpayer $$ TO EXPAND at the north end of its holdings???? The expansion includes more housing….what, to complement the empty Axis, 88, 360, & half empty City Heights????
I suggest suburbia secedes so we’re not dragged down with you.
“Many MLB, NFL, and NBA cities are smaller than SJ. They apparently don’t believe size matters.”
On the surface JMOC your quote would seem to make sense. BUT! San Jose is a relatively “new” city in terms of it’s population and corporate wealth/disposable income (as compared to older/more established city’s across the country). Most teams from the aformentioned leagues have been in their cities for decades, going back to the days of San Jose being a small farm town of 100,000 residents. Trust me, if San Jose’s population was over a million in the late 50’s, the Giants or A’s, Warriors, Raiders or Niners would call SJ home already. Fast forward to the present; The Warriors/Giants tried to get into SJ in the 90’s, the Niners (through SJ’s suburb of SC) and A’s in the present…it appears size and wealth do matter after all.
By the way, where’s your official report/survey (i.e. FACTS!) stating most residents think of SJ as suburbia and that downtown sucks?
RIP Tied House San Pedro Square.
Get ready for the 150 decibel sucking sound that results from the State vacuuming up every last dollar of RDA funding remaining.
It would shock me if Sacramento didn’t shut down all RDAs statewide and redeploy the monies to their rightful beneficiaries – schools and basic infrastructure.
On another thread, I wrote:
“I wonder if Tied House was having trouble competing with Gordon Biersch?”
“Reason I ask is that a buddy of mine, who has lived in the Bay Area all his life tells me that he thinks that Tied House quality is not what it was 20 years ago. My friend used to frequent the TH in Mountain View, where I would tag along when I was in town for a visit. After I moved back to the Bay Area in 2005, we started going to GB and joined their passport program. My friend told me that he doesn’t go to TH anymore.”
“So how does TH compare to other brewpubs?”
TH did not fail because there’s no Major League baseball stadium downtown, not did it fail because there are airplanes overhead. There are lots of other restaurants downtown, and a direct competitor in Gordon Biersch. Perhaps GB simply has better food and beer.
Tied house closed because it had a chance to leave its lease. The tied house and spaghetti factory buildings will be demolished for the McHenry project. They took a great opp to get out of downtown. Good for them. Downtown is a joke!!!!!
#12 GH,
Prepare to be shocked, because your “I hate the SJRA” scenario isn’t happening. The sucking sound should be more like 15 decibels.
#14 Nam Turk,
Just my opinion, but I didn’t think the food and brew at Tied House were that bad; loved the smoked-salmon fish and chips. And I assume the Mountain View TH has the same menu/brew, and they’re reportedly still going strong…why is that? No direct competition in MV? Better location, with constant critical mass, in MV? Anyone familiar with the MV TH?
Oh well, I feel they’d still be open for business downtown if 32K seat Cisco Field were in existence today. Doing good business during Sharks games proves that!
#10—If suburbia seceded as you suggest, there’d be few folks left to pay the bills for DT.
Like it or not, this is suburbia. If there were so many folks who wanted a DT urban living experience in SJ, why are Axis, the 88, & 360 all empty? it’s more than just the homeownership meltdown. People gotta live somewhere, so if they wanted to be DT, they’d move DT.
#18, the idiots who own and built the condo towers still have them priced too high! No bank official in thier right mind would allow a loan for those units at the current price offerings! The idiots also lie about how nice things are downtown! What a bunch of lies.
“If there were so many folks who wanted a DT urban living experience in SJ, why are Axis, the 88, & 360 all empty? “
Haha, funny how you neglect the unprecedented times in which we live. It seems to be that all the other housing units before these filled up, or else these would not have been built. Don’t justify the disgusting planning errors of the city’s past with some selfish bullshit regarding the pothole in front of your house. You’re free to your yard and quiet street, because there’s room for everyone. However, the scales have been tipped that way for far too long.
“TH did not fail because there’s no Major League baseball stadium downtown, not did it fail because there are airplanes overhead. There are lots of other restaurants downtown, and a direct competitor in Gordon Biersch. Perhaps GB simply has better food and beer.”
I’ll have to agree here. I (and some others) did get off on a tangent, but the fundamentals do still apply. A business must provide quality to the customer. That is the most basic principle. Perhaps we read too deeply into this closing simply because it’s downtown.
#20—I guess you failed to read my further comment:“it’s more than just the homeownership meltdown. People gotta live somewhere, so if they wanted to be DT, they’d move DT.”
It ain’t just the hard times, Nam Turkey. DT has been a difficult sell since the McEnery Dynasty. They been tryin’ to make it happen, all to no avail.
And you went on to say: “You’re free to your yard and quiet street, because there’s room for everyone.” Could you try that again in English?
Downtown has been a difficult sell because it’s been a bunch of weak efforts that haven’t amounted to much. The arena is obviously not in that category, nor would a baseball stadium be. I think they draw more people than painted shark statues, for example. That was backwards development. You don’t build a car around a hood ornament, do you?
As for my comment which is apparently not in English, I was simply saying that I do not wish to force my preferences on all of San Jose. If you want suburban living, that’s fine. I would hope that you can reciprocate and allow us to add some other flavors to this place. After all, the city is a business and downtown is something that can make some money (if done correctly) by drawing people in. Strip malls don’t quite measure up.
#22: I was partying @ what is now SoFA in the late ‘70s. I’ve always hoped for a vibrant downtown. I looked seriously into moving into The 88; until they dropped their prices a mere 8%-10%, instead of a market reality of about 35%. That’s whyt The 88, Axis, and 360 residences are empty. They penciled out the project when prices were escalating continuously. They just hit the market at the wrong time.
DT will only succeed when there are lots of folks living there. Santa Clara Valley-ites are mostly suburbanites, and they care little about DT SJ. They prefer their little enclaves. Ask 1000 people who work DT whether they come back to eat dinner or party here after they have returned home, and I’d wager 950 of them would say NO WAY!!
When I go out, I spend most of my evenings and many weekends DT SJ, since there is little to draw me out at night to WG (where I live) or LG or Campbell.
My point is that those who favor a vibrant DT will have to do it themselves, since the VAST majority of SV folks could not care less, and many actually hate it, and the vast sums it has drawn from the RDA with little progress toward the 24 hour DT Mr. McEnery sought 25+ years ago. Many are resentful that a lot of that $$ wasn’t spent in the neighborhoods. And there is a statewide movement afoot to eliminate RDA’s statewide.
#23 has it partially right. Downtown San Jose is somewhat attractive, at least it is walkable. But when “Music in the Park” and “Music in the Other Park” start, there will be a lot of scum and filth pouring into downtown. I prefer to meet friends at the Village Pub in Woodside, good food, and no low-lifes to contend with.
George #24—Music in the drug dealer, excuse me, other, park has been cancelled.
But, you make my point, George. Most folks feel the way you do.
Wow so many angry sad people. As a fith generation San Josen, I say if you don’t like downtown don’t venture there. There is always Satan Row, which I love. Anyway having been to a lot of other medium sized cities our downtown is quite nice and walkable, as well as historic. It is sad that so many so called progressives from places like Los Gatos and the likes hate San Jose because it sounds so Mexican….Get over it….
I’ve never understood the suburbanite’s distaste for downtown. Sure, DT SJ will never have a romance and appeal of NYC, SF, etc. However, some of us who have made the decision to make downtown our home are hopefully optimistic about the future of our urban neighborhood.
-Chris