Back in 2013, I reported the trio behind Urge Gastropub and Brothers Provisions was looking to build an ambitious combination brewpub, bottle-shop and bowling alley in the shell of a former gym in inland North County. That project-site fell through, and the group eventually installed a smaller brewpub concept similar to the original Urge in Oceanside. It has been a hit since its debut late last year, but even so, ownership never ditched that bowling-alley concept. In fact, even in the midst of the busiest span of their business’ lifespan, they managed to secure a space in which to make that multi-faceted project happen. As a result, Urge Common House is under construction and set to become a reality by March of 2017.
The original project was slated for Vista, but Urge Common House will be located at 255 Redel Road in the neighboring municipality of San Marcos. But that’s about the only big change in the project. The original site was 22,000-square-feet, and the new spot, located across the street from the north end of California State University, San Marcos, is 21,000-square-feet. Urge’s ownership team was contacted by a developer who read about the original “Urge: Craft Alley” project and found merit in it. Urge Common House will be part of an all-in-one live-and-play development called North City.
The restaurant component of Urge Common House will seat 450 and include three bars. Like the existing Urge locations, high-end gastropub fare will be the name-of-the-game, eats-wise, and roughly three-fourths of the menu will include dishes culled from Urge’s existing restaurants. The venue will include three bars, as well, and certain vantage points will offer a view of the 15-barrel Premiere Stainless brewery that will be installed and result in increased production and cellaring capacity for Urge’s in-house brewing operation, Mason Ale Works. The annual projected barrelage for the facility is 5,000 barrels. This is particularly important in that it ups the amount of canned-beer the company can get out into the market. Construction of this new business will also allow for expansion of the company’s beer barrel-aging program, “Mason Snale Works”.
In addition to the interior space, there will be outdoor common areas that expand overall consumer-capacity, but the real action will take place in and near an octet of PBA (Professional Bowlers Association)-approved bowling lanes as well as something that wasn’t included in the Craft Alley concept, a pair of crushed-oyster bocce ball courts. Other adult-sized kids’ games such as Jenga and Connect Four will provide added options in the patio area. There will also be a private-dining area capable of seating up to 50 diners.
On the beverage-side, in addition to Mason Ale Works beers, Urge Common House will offer beers from other craft breweries with a bent toward locally produced ales and lagers. A full cocktail list will also be available, with an emphasis on White Russian-like drinks at one bar designated especially for this niche tipple within the restaurant.
Back at sister-business, Brothers Provisions in Rancho Bernardo, another project, Mason Coffee Works, is coming along nicely. The company is currently working with a number of San Diego roasters to select a custom house-espresso, and plans to offer daily pour-overs and other single-origin coffees from local roasters from its recently expanded deli and bottle-shop hybrid.