BC Business
The Bentall Centre spot is a first for the city's financial district.
Imagine being excited for a 4 p.m. meeting in the conference room? I know, it doesn’t seem possible. But, as one walks into North Point Brewing’s new downtown Vancouver location, the impractical becomes the obvious.
Sean Annable, Liam Jeffries, and Matt Legate launched North Point in their native North Vancouver in December of 2019. For many businesses, that would be a death knell. But not for a brewery.
“If there was anything to get into it at that time, it was alcohol,” says Jeffries with a laugh. Earlier this year, the trio built off that success by opening multi-concept space Outpost just off Brewers Row in Port Moody. They’re doing it again in a very different neighbourhood with the opening of North Point Brewing Café in the Bentall Centre in Vancouver’s financial district.
While North Point’s original location strives to convey the warm vibe of the cabin the three founders spent a lot of time visiting on Thormanby Island growing up, that’s a bit harder to pull off in the new spot. Instead, the latest iteration of North Point is a convenient, open space reliant on big, family style tables that invite conversation and a sizeable patio. Oh, and it’s bordered by liquor-permitted conference rooms.
“It’s very interesting,” says Jeffries. “[The conference rooms] are fun meeting spots we can cater to. If they want to do lunches and have beers, we can also serve in there.”
This summer especially, North Point has put an emphasis on fruity beers. The banana pancake hefeweizen in particular has been an important one in the rotation. That one goes with the cabin theme of course, but Jeffries thinks the new clientele will take to it as well. “The banana flavour is from the yeast itself,” he explains. “We’re not pouring in banana puree, but it has a strong banana smell and taste to it, which is pretty cool. People seem to love that.” North Point Brewing Café also has pizzas on offer from Italian staple Nook.
Jeffries, previously a production manager at a printed electronics company, thinks the inherent risk that comes with renting out a big space downtown will pay off. “I don’t want to say people down here are sick of going to Cactus or Joey everyday, but they want to try something new that’s very craft beer focused and that differentiates itself, that gives that brewery vibe where it’s more chill and everyone talks to each other.”