Eight Years Ago This week, Gastown’s Pourhouse Was Just Getting Started

In August of 2009 I poked my head into the construction site of Gastown’s Pourhouse. The restaurant has since become an institution of sorts, a place of consistency and quality. A few weeks previously I’d gone in to help drop the bar…

From my notes that day:

Neighbourhood dignitaries in attendance included Mark Brand, Josh Pape, and Sophie Taverner of The Diamond; Tannis Ling of Bao Bei; Neil Ingram and Simon Kaulback of Boneta; Jason Kelly, Stuart Irving, and Tyson Reimer of Cobre; Kurtis Kolt and Alex Thornley of Salt Tasting Room; Sonya from Chill Winston; Brad Stanton and Sean Hamilton of Revel; Ron Oliver of Maker’s Mark; Karl Gregg from Two Chefs and a Table; my colleague Joanne Sasvari from the Vancouver Sun; Tod Olsen from Pacific Restaurant Supply; as well as site builders Mike and Anthony (plus me). Though he very much wanted to be there, Sean Heather couldn’t break away from service at the Salty Tongue, and Nigel Springthorpe of the Alibi Room missed it by a beer’s head (he was adequately forlorn). Hosting us were Pourhouse principals Brian Grant, Nick Rossi, JenniferForster, Chuck McIntosh, Chris Irving, and Jay Jones, not to mention Jay’s girlfriend Jody and Pourhouse barkeeps Daniel Pitt and Emily Shulze.

Anyway, here’s what it looked like a few weeks later. Still a while to go but taking shape…