One CruzBrunswick’s beloved espresso store Dog Bar Jim has served as a hub for curiosity, quirk and a imply cup of espresso for the final 5 years. Seven days per week, lattes and pastries are doled out to adoring clients with a whimsical mix of dialog and comedy from the person behind the counter, proprietor Ben Gatchell.
Now, Gatchell is taking issues in a brand new path with quite a lot of new meals choices served nightly, Wednesday by means of Saturday. He coined the brand new operation Dog Bar Jim’s Golden Demise.
The new nighttime business presents patrons burgers each Friday evening and a rotating menu of cuisines on the opposite nights. Past menus have included a number of Asian specials akin to Ginger Chicken Congee, Banh Mi, Sweet and Sour Soup Pot Pie and a “Gringo Hong Kong Breakfast.” The operation has additionally attained a liquor license and now serves beer and wine to accompany the brand new dishes.
Gatchell credited inspiration for these recipes to the time he spent on the West Coast and now hopes to introduce a few of his favourite meals from the locations he as soon as referred to as home to the menu.
“Since relocating back to Brunswick, I’ve missed a lot of the foods that I had access to in places like San Francisco and Tacoma,” Gatchell mentioned. “Two birds, one stone—share really good food that inspired me in my past with the community and also get access to eating it all the time.”
One CruzFor Gatchell, changing the 700-square-foot daytime espresso store right into a dinner spot has been each difficult and rewarding.
“We don’t have rules. We have parameters. We’ve become confident in transforming the word ‘can’ to ‘how’ to ‘when,’ chronically being dusted with ‘where,’” Gatchell mentioned.
Gatchell cited “conviction and masochism” and the dedicated individuals who work at Dog Bar Jim for his or her potential to make due in such a small house. As Dog Bar Jim enters a brand new sphere in Brunswick eating, Gatchell hopes that his management strategy will enable the business to navigate any challenges that come up.
“It’s a new chapter for me, and I have no idea how it’s going, but I do know that if not being a shithead boss was easy, the world would be filled with great bosses,” Gatchell mentioned. “In that vein, I am very hands-on with most operations and learning how to empower people as a taskmaster.”
Working with Gatchell is a number of equally charming and clever workers. Mariah Sharpe, a seasoned worker who prepares Dog Bar Jim’s breakfast sandwiches and burgers and newly employed chef Sam Agreda created and launched the brand new menus.
Leslie Otto, supervisor of Dog Bar Jim, usually stands behind the counter and helps serve espresso and meals on the weekdays. Otto shares the identical pleasure for the brand new menus as her colleagues.
“I think it’s great. It’s something needed in Brunswick—to have consistency in the food available, as well as variety and a high quality of product. I think that the nice piece about having somewhat of a limited menu is that it allows for [the] flavors of the food to be really nice,” Otto mentioned.
Otto added that the nighttime operations are supposed to function an extension of the espresso store.
“Dog Bar Jim is kind of like a meeting house, or a pub in Ireland—some place that all community members can come and enjoy,” Otto mentioned.
Transforming the eclectic house right into a bustling nighttime restaurant has been a journey for these concerned, however the endeavor appears undeniably rewarding because the espresso store now buzzes with much more full of life power. Gatchell estimates that the evenings roughly pack the restaurant to the identical diploma because the espresso store all through the day.
The response to Dog Bar Jim’s new operations has been overwhelmingly optimistic, and Gatchell returns the sentiment.
“I’m really excited, and we’re all really proud here to invite everyone into what we’ve created. I truly enjoy building these concepts and sharing them. It’s still a work in progress and will continue to be. I love feeding you. I love it when you come here. I hope how humbled and blessed I am by your presence in our space is contagious. See you soon,” Gatchell mentioned.
