There's something going on down at the intersection of Winnipeg and Westminster. And it seems to be radiating out a block in every direction.
At 169 Estabrook, there's Bad Tattoo Brewing. At 187 Westminster, there's a big vacant lot that should, in the near future, become Neighbourhood Brewing. Over at 218 Martin, Slackwater Brewing just opened its doors.
And at 249 Westminster, a massive chunk of land bordering three streets, there'll be a new upscale coffee shop by the end of the month. And, says property owner Toni Brown, "There'll be other things happening at that corner. We're trying to develop it keeping in mind pedestrian traffic."
Meanwhile, really big changes are afoot at 215 Winnipeg, the home of Jason Cox's The People's Soda. Former tenant Smugglers Smokehouse recently relocated their southern barbecue cooking to Main Street, leaving the door open for a new business to move in.
That's exactly what happened, and by the middle of July, this exciting, evolving neighbourhood will have a new member. A food and cocktails, open-through-the-winter, keep-the-party-going-til-midnight new member.
It'll be called "The Black Antler," and it's backed by a ton of big-city restaurant experience.
"This is my 66th restaurant built," said Dan Prokosh, who, with wife Lynn Pepin, owns the ambitious new enterprise. "It's averaged out to two or three a year, and sometimes six, depending on what corporation I was working with at the time and how aggressively we were advancing."
Prokosh, as it turns out, is a workaholic. A workaholic with a restaurant fetish who may be new to Penticton but is an old hand in the food and beverage biz. Amongst his many dealings throughout the province and the country were stints with Milestones and Cactus Club. And, he says, "I brought Five Guys Burgers and Fries to Canada."
He's owned and operated his own restaurants too, including two in the rarified air of downtown Vancouver.
"One was called 'White' and was in Yaletown, and the other was called 'Black' and was in Gastown," says Prokosh.
"The Black lounge catered more to the loungey-pubby crowd. It was a liquor-primary (license), so we did a little more party and events, so to speak. Whereas at White, we had a heavy food focus. It was a 160-seat, two-level, three-bar venue in the heart of Yaletown."
And it's a little of that urban sensibility, along with a heaping helping of rural charm, that Prokosh plans to exploit at The Black Antler. Along with a never-ending supply of distinctive, customizable cocktails often infused with soda and syrup recipes from The People's Soda.
"We wanted to enter the cocktail market in Penticton as opposed to the beer and wine market, because there's obviously an abundance of those here now, and it's not something I'm interested in or know much about. And we've known Jason for over twenty years, from our time in Kelowna. When we found out he owned this pop fizzery called The People's Soda, it really interested us because of our focus on cocktails."
"Jason's recipes are from the 1800s, and they're great. I'm going to use them in our cocktails, and we are going to truly have a one of a kind cocktail."
Prokosh says The Black Antler will also offer cocktail flights. "They're essentially samples of cocktails, like you'd get in a flight of beers. So you get a flavour and a taste, and we'll have a vast variety of flavours."
As part of the extensive renovations currently ongoing at the address, the long wall that divided The People's Soda from Smugglers Smokehouse has been demolished. And that means there'll be one big space shared between the two businesses, which allows for a rather cozy setup.
"The People's Soda will also have a tasting bar at our bar, which we've built separately for them," said Prokosh. "So you can taste the pops, and then if you're an adult and feel like a little kick in your pop, then you can slide right over to the bar and have a kick."
"So you're not only coming for the great food, great service, and great atmosphere, you're also getting another experience in the tastings and the craft creativity."
Prokosh, the new owner of a home in Sendero Canyon, says there's no shortage of reasons he and his family relocated here.
"I spent a lot of time in Okanagan Falls as a kid with my grandparents and my family. And I relocated to Kelowna in the late 90s from Vancouver and went on my own as I became young adult."
"I worked for Roses on the Kelowna waterfront for numerous years. I'd work for them in the summer, and then in the winter we'd go to Big White and do the ski hill thing. I met a lot of people throughout the years here in the Okanagan Valley, and we were looking for an opportunity to leave Vancouver because it's just getting a little too busy for myself and my family."
And he says his family of four is psyched about the move. "We just like the feel of the city here. The people are great. The climate is fantastic."
The friendship with Cox wasn't the only reason he jumped on 215 Winnipeg. "I chose this address because the new entertainment district is going to be designed here. I spoke with city council and a few members in the planning department before sinking my teeth into a venue."
"There's lots of rezoning going on, lots of residential and commercial buildings being built, so we're going to have a very mixed-use space here and great neighbours such as Bad Tattoo, Slackwater, and the Pasta Factory. We're giving something that they don't offer."
Once open, The Black Antler will, says Prokosh, have something for everybody.
"Beyond cocktails, we'll have a great wine list that features a lot of the local craft wineries. We'll have craft beer and craft pops, and our menu will focus on upscale, casual food. We'll make everything in house, from scratch. We'll have vegetarian and vegan options, and our burgers will feature wagyu beef, basically from a cow that's high in marbling."
But Prokosh is arguably most excited about the new patio. Featuring a floor of stamped concrete, a five-foot barbecue, and enough space for a small band and/or dancing, the 82-seat patio, he says, "will be structured to suit the look of an old farmhouse. So if you were sitting on the front stoop of your old farmhouse with an overhang and windows around it, and all of a sudden the wind hit it and knocked it down, well, that's what it'll look like."
Inside, where another 66 seats will await, the decor will be "upscale rustic."
"We're taking one of our brands in Vancouver, the Black brand, which is more of a loungey concept, and we're going to change that and slam it together with steampunk and farmhouse."
Woah.
And Prokosh plans to stay open late. "Our hours will be 11 a.m. to midnight or 1 a.m."
There'll be music inside too, and perhaps a DJ. "We want to give people a place to go to late in the day. With the nightclubs here pulling out over the years, I think there's a lack of entertainment in town."
Helping the new owners renovate is Prokosh's dad Mark, and three employees from the Yaletown and Gastown venues who've made the move here to work at The Black Antler. It's a family affair to be sure.
"Whether you're a child or an adult who's a child at heart, we'd love to see you. We're an easy going, fun-loving family that's just looking to have a good time."
Look for The Black Antler, at 215 Winnipeg, to launch in mid-July. The website, www.blackantlerpenticton.com, will be functional at the beginning of the month.
