Downtown Vancouver is set to get its first hard cider taproom in the space that formerly housed Luxe restaurant on Washington Street.
Locust Cider & Brewing Co., based in Woodinville, announced Tuesday that it would open its 10th taproom in the Vancouvercenter building, 700 Washington St., Suite 103. Other locations include Woodinville, Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane and Walla Walla.
Locust will offer 16 taps of only Locust-made beverages, including beer and cider. Its signature cider flavors include Dark Cherry, Vanilla Bean and Honey Pear, according to the news release. Locust will also serve beer and food, consisting mainly of flatbread pizzas.
The Vancouver opening is part of a large expansion plan for the company to open in areas where its cider is distributed.
“On a very high level, we are opening new taprooms so we can get as close to our customers as possible,” said co-founder Jason Spears in a news release.
Luxe opened in 2014 and closed in early 2019, and the space has been vacant until now. By Monday, Locust had hung artwork on its walls, and tasting trays and other materials were being unpacked. The owners hope to open later this month.
“The reason we chose Vancouver is that we love the family friendly vibe of the community,” wrote Rebecca Spears, vice president of marketing, in an email to The Columbian. “We are still building up our presence in the southern end of Washington and Vancouver is a perfect spot.”
She said that Locust is finalizing hiring its manager for the Vancouver location, and she’s not sure how many employees will be hired yet.
Locust Cider was founded in 2015 by siblings Jason and Patrick Spears. They began brewing beer in 2019 after a partnership with Dirty Bucket Brewing Co., now all under the name of Locust Cider & Brewing Co. Locust produces its cider in Woodinville; Fort Worth, Texas; and Boulder, Colo. Cans of its cider are available in Washington, Oregon, California, Florida and Texas, and Locust plans to further expand nationally.
Part of Locust’s profits of canned and bottled beverages go toward the Hydrocephalus Association; Jason and Rebecca Spears’ daughter lives with the incurable brain condition, according to the news release.
Locust aims to be a family-friendly place in Vancouver, and the location is available for rent for private events, according to the news release. There will also be outdoor seating when the weather permits.
