Fans of “The Call of the Wild” will have a new watering hole to toast Sonoma’s original Renaissance man late this summer when the Jack London Taproom opens at Cornerstone Sonoma.
A passion project for Darius Anderson and Kenwood Investments, the 1,200-square-foot taproom and beer garden is currently deep in the permitting process.
The Jack London Taproom will be located in existing retail space next to Tesoro Flowers, near the main entrance to the Cornerstone property on Arnold Drive.
The taproom will serve craft beers from across the North Bay, with a focus on Sonoma County.
“It will have a distinctly Sonoma feel to it,” said Kenwood Investments president Bill Hooper, “and it’s going to be a fun way to celebrate Jack London’s life.”
Hooper said that the inspiration for the bar came from a journey London took through Northern California, in which he chronicled the many towns and more than 100 beer establishments he visited.
According to a press release announcing the venture, the taproom will offer a “passport program” for customers “to travel the historical trail and receive stamps from participating breweries along the way.”
Once a customer visits 5-10 breweries along London’s trail, they receive a beer for the cost Jack would have paid years ago. The plan is to print new passports, with new brewery partners throughout the year.
Anderson – the managing partner in Sonoma Media Investments, which owns the Index-Tribune – is a known collector of Jack London memorabilia, including first editions of London’s books, and will be lending part of his collection to the Tap Room.
Kenwood Investments owns and operates the Cornerstone property and Hooper described the new beer joint as “additive” to the offerings there, which currently include several high-end retail stores and tasting rooms, the Sunset magazine outdoor kitchen and test gardens, a handful of offices, a branch of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau and restaurant Park 121.
There is no kitchen planned, but the taproom will offer a limited food menu, some provided by Park 121 with the likely addition of a regularly scheduled food truck.
Hooper expects that the taproom will be open similar hours to the rest of Cornerstone, but hopes to obtain permission to serve until dark in the summer months.
While Kenwood Investments has its financing in place for the venture, the company has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for an outdoor beer garden, which through a partnership with Sunset, is expected to include a large outdoor fire pit and seating area with room for live music, events and bar games. Pledge rewards include logo wear, early private event access and tickets to the grand opening party.
“We thought it would be a fun way to engage the community,” said Hooper.
He said that he’s not concerned about people confusing the taproom with Jack London Saloon in Glen Ellen. “We love the Saloon,” he said.
While all the necessary regulatory approvals are not yet in hand, Hooper said that Kenwood Investments hopes to have the Jack London Taproom open in late summer.
Email Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.
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