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The Salt Building stands as one of the greatest landmarks in the Village and is the largest visual reminder of the history of Southeast False Creek as an industrial hub. The building's original use was exactly as the name suggests: it was a refinery for salt shipped by scow from San Francisco to the building’s dock, with the end product being shipped out the other side into waiting rail cars that shipped it off for use in BC's fishing industry. The heritage restoration of this building was no small task and came with a price tag of $10 million. In the end we are blessed with an absolutely beautiful LEED Gold certified heritage building, pictured bottom right in this photo below.
Photo: John Sinal
While it's been used as a rentable venue over the past couple of years the City has always stated that they intended to bring in a tenant who would open a brewpub in the space, so when I received word that Calgary-born was to take over the Salt Building with their restaurant and brewpub I could hardly contain my excitement, and neither could my neighbours. Here's the invitation they've posted about their open house happening later this month, that everyone is welcome to attend:
PJ L’Heureux, President of CRAFT Beer Market stated that "The Village is really coming into its own and we want to invite residents and businesses in the area to come down and introduce ourselves and our vision for the Salt Building." and we can't wait to see what they've got in store. Here's a few bullet points on what's coming:
Venue features:
- Open concept kitchen
- Private room and mezzanine level for special events
- Certified LEED Gold Building
- Largest LEAF Certified Restaurant in Canada (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Food Service)
- Seating capacity 350
- Ample parking in underground parade across the street
Beer Features:
- Canada’s largest selection of draft beer - over 140 beers on tap
- 250 kegs in house that hold 5000 gallons of beer (over 19,000 liters of beer!)
- Over 3 kilometers of draft lines
- Half a million dollar state of the art draft system
Menu Features:
- New North American classic cuisine
- Locally sourced fresh produce and meats
- Gluten free, peanut oil free and vegetarian options
- Signature menu items like fast food sushi, beer can chicken and Bier-A-Misu
- Saturday/Sunday brunch
- Extensive wine list and cocktail menu
"With 140 taps, CRAFT Beer Market will have Canada’s largest selection of draft beer," says General Manager, Scott Frank. “We’ll have everything from classic lagers to new beers from local microbreweries. At CRAFT Beer Market we’re creating a non-pretentious environment for people to learn about beer and experience new styles and flavours."
Executive Chef Paul McGreevy is looking forward to sharing his menu of New North American Classic Cuisine. "These are timeless comfort dishes and traditional pub favourites mixed with modern fare and innovative combinations," says McGreevy. CRAFT Beer Market's culinary lineup will also have considerations for gluten-free, peanut allergies and vegetarians.
Below is a quick video of architect Russell Acton showing the complex wooden truss interior of the Salt Building, wayyyyy back when they were restoring it. I'll bring you inside this building after the open house and subsequently will be bringing you status updates as prepares to open their doors for business in the Summer of 2013.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdJ8_tkejXc
Learn more at and stay tuned each week as I expose the unique qualities of our new community.
