The New Old Brewery Bay
By John Swartz
The only thing sure in life is change. Well, and the other two things. Beginning today two businesses begin new chapters, and by summer a third will emerge from the drywaller’s dust.
An institution, a purveyor of fine nachos, great wings, tasty breaded coconut shrimp, hamburgers and whatever else were your favourites on the menu at Brewery Bay Food Company closed last Sunday.
It is part of a plan Steve Clarke had to retire.
“I opened the restaurant because it was the only way I could find a friend,” Clarke joked. “I was 33 (years old) and I’m just about to double that. Plus I was in the business many years before that. There comes a time.”
It was not an evil plan hatched by daughter Jenna French to get Steve and his wife Chris Marsh out so she could take over. Jenna grew up in the business and 9 years ago opened her own successful restaurant, Rustica. She has the experience to continue operating Brewery Bay, but with a new theme and name. More on this below.
Bob Robinson, managing partner in Couchiching Craft Brewing was also Rustica’s landlord.
“Every year I asked to buy the (Rustica) building, even though I had no money, because I knew it was only going to get more expensive. He finally agreed in 2021 and I purchased in 2022,’ Jenna said.
“He also approached me about becoming the managing partner (at Couchiching) a couple times and I just had so much on the go.”
“I approached him (Bob) about the Brewery Bay space because I was trying to get my parents a retirement plan,” Jenna said. “He said, “Is Brewery Bay closing.’ I said, “At this point that looks like that’s the plan,” There was nothing concrete. This was in the beginning of November. This is how recent it was.”
Bob asked if he could take over the name.
“I said it wouldn’t be the name, it would be the essence. It would be the goodwill, the staff, systems, the menu and he said the stipulation would be, “you (Jenna) would have to become managing partner down here,” she said.
Steve picks up the story.
“It was his idea (Bob Robinson), his suggestion. It caught everybody a little off guard, but once we thought about it for a couple of minutes it just seemed to make sense.”
What idea? Brewery Bay Food Company and Couchiching Craft Brewing would combine their businesses into Couching Brewing Company Inc., Jenna would become the managing partner, and Brewery Bay Food Company would relocate into the Couchiching restaurant space and the brewing operation would remain in the back half of the building at the corner of Mississaga and Matchedash Streets.
“It would a good idea for the community, for both sets of staff, it brings a bit of personality into the brewery,’ said Jenna.
Except for one thing. Steve is not retiring, yet. That’s been put off for a few months.
“There’s so much full circle in this whole thing,” Jenna said. “The agreement with Couchiching Brewery and Brewery Bay, I said my dad needs to be involved for the first few months because it’s his baby. The essence of Steve Clarke is trickling through all of these restaurants. I was trained by him and I got interned in his leadership, his empathy, his innovation. It’s been really cool to do this together.”
Back to Steve.
“It’s really the coming together of two really neat concepts. Couchiching Brewery brews some wonderful beers, and some of their staff and our wonderful staff that has evolved over the last 32 years. I think it creates a wonderful synergy. It really just seems to be an idea that makes a lot of sense,” he said.
“When you walk in there you’ll see a lot of things you recognize.”
It served its first meals and drinks Wednesday when family night happened, continued Thursday for members of the infamous Mug Club, and opens to the public today, Friday.
“It’s going to create a wonderful vibrancy in that space. With the recent renovation, it’s warm and inviting and the menu will be terrific,” Steve said. Most of the old menu is the new menu with some additions from the Couchiching menu. It’s exciting for them, with a bit if sadness for Brewery Bay patrons
“There were a lot of people in the last few days that were quite emotional about Brewery Bay closing. It was both wonderful and tough to see. There was laughing and crying. We now have an opportunity create a whole new series of memories.”
People held many celebrations there over the years, they could be remembered with every subsequent visit from enjoying friends and family birthdays, etc., to the annual Christmas Eve party the Scotch Nosing, and on a personal note having dinner with my kids, special friends, and with Garth Hudson and Lance Anderson,. In fact, Brewery Bay Food Company was the destination after work many times, including the day Gordon Lightfoot died/didn’t die back in 2010 (derailed by having to go back to work).
Having been, while the scenery is different, the atmosphere is about the same. Even the faces of other patrons and staff are the same.
“Some of the staff have been there 5 years, 10 years 15 years, 20 years and a couple have been 30 years.
“We would have been nothing without our staff. They have a great work ethic, a great attitude and whatever success we’ve had over the years is because of it,” Steve said.
You’ll still see Paul Carruthers and Lisa Thompson behind the bar or wandering around having fun with the customers.
“Thank goodness, it would not be the same without them,” Steve said.
While Steve will be present for a time, and Jenna too, but she’s also got another restaurant to run and one to get off the ground, the day to day running of the restaurant and staff of 50 will be in the hands of manager Maddie Maynard.
Brewery Bay will be closed Mondays and open the rest of the week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Hold On A Sec
If you missed your chance to say goodbye, you have one more opportunity in 10 days to do so.
“We’re doing one more day because The new Brewery Bay is closed one day because they had already planned a St. Paddy’s Day celebration (March 16), so we’re going to open one more day (at the old location) and it will be St. Paddy’s Day (March 17),” Steve said.
Then it will be renovated for the new restaurant. As mentioned it will be an Asian Fusion operation.
The Next Stage
“Some people think I’m making it back into the Shangri-La,
It’s southeast Asian,” Jenna said. Some readers might feel some nostalgia because
before Brewery Bay that spot was already an institution, and in some ways the
new is paying respect to the former Chinese restaurant Glenn Gould used to regularly
have his dinner at.
It’s going to be called Seto’s, and of course, many will remember Gin Seto was
the owner of the Shang, and it will have more than the name calling back to the
future.
“One day I was in (Brewery Bay), in the summer and my dad’s like, “One of the Seto’s is here.” So I ended up getting in contact with (grandson) Rob Seto. I asked all these (questions) and he’s been lovely because he didn’t know all the answers, so he’s actually thankful for the project because he asked them of his oldest brother.”
That is to say, there will be some historical flavour to the new restaurant. Seto opened first under the name Star Café in the 1930s, so the left side will be post-prohibition theme and be for dining. The right side will be a coffee bar with Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese style coffees.
“It’s going to have an international grocery section and communal work space, and the back section is a private dining area; if it’s not rented it’s going to be open for communal work space, with a hot lunch menu,” Jenna said.
It is expected Seto’s will open before summer.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia) Main: Staff of Brewery Bay Food Company moments before the first patrons arrive at the new location.
