We are excited to feature Bottlecraft in our latest "We Are" series. Not only for our love of craft beer, BUT because it's the second location owner Brian Jensen has opened up, and we couldn't feel more proud that they are in our 'hood!
How/why was Bottlecraft born? "I have always wanted to do something in the food/beverage industry, so after college I moved from San Diego to New York to go to culinary school. Over the span of about five years I immersed myself in every corner of that world; I didn't know what I wanted to do but gave myself the space and time to chase down anything I was interested in to see if I could make a career out of it. During that time, one of the jobs I had was working at a neighborhood wine shop in Brooklyn. It was a cool, casual little shop run by a knowledgeable and passionate team. As a beer drinker, I was always at shops, looking for beer but I never really had the nice shopping experience I saw at wine shops. When I decided to do something on my own, that was on the top of my list to try to figure out."
Why did you choose to open up a location in North Park? "There are so many great craft beer bars and beer lovers here in North Park, it was just a natural fit for Bottlecraft."
What do you like about North Park? "I personally love North Park because there's a great mix of fun bars and great shops (like Pigment) with lots of good, creative energy."
"My goal is to create a place where anyone from the Bud drinker to a master brewer can come, try something new and learn something. It's definitely a two way street, I learn so much from my customers. That's the fun of it all in my opinion."
Bottlecraft swag! You can get yours in store or online!
We will be partnering up with Bottlecraft for this Thursday's craft beer and fine cheese pairings. A book signing will be held with Janet Fletcher, author of the book Cheese & Beer, one of the first guides ever to be written about pairing the two delicious items together! Come join us at our new location (the corner of 30th and North Park Way) and meet Janet, along with Bottlecraft owner Brian Jensen! Check out more info for this not to be missed event on our Facebook Events Page.
Not only is Brian such an inspiring entrepreneur, he's also a cool dude. If you live in the 'hood, or are ever visiting San Diego, stop by either one of his locations and check out his labor of love:
Little Italy - 2161 India St (between Hawthorn St & Ivy St) San Diego, CA 92101
North Park - 3007 University Ave (between 30th St & Ray St) San Diego, CA 92104
Thank you Bottlecraft (and Brian!) for being such an awesome addition to the neighborhood!
