After starting it on a lark, owners of San Andreas Brewing Co.
are looking to sell the downtown mainstay after 16 years of serving
french fries and award-winning Apricot Ale to San Benito County
residents.
Hollister – After starting it on a lark, owners of San Andreas Brewing Co. are looking to sell the downtown mainstay after 16 years of serving french fries and award-winning Apricot Ale to San Benito County residents.
Owner Bill Millar said while business has been up and down over the years, he’s finally ready to move in a different direction. His plan to sell the restaurant has been in the works for the past couple of years, he said.
“The restaurant business is stressful. It started out great and tapered off,” he said. “We’re tired – it needs new blood. We’ve had the same menu and people get bored, I understand that. I just don’t have the desire anymore.”
Millar said he’s selling the business but not the name, so the new owner can’t make a product under the name San Andreas Brewing Co.
Millar’s wife, Carol, runs the business full time while her husband works in sales.
Working at the restaurant 12 hours a day for the past 16 years has finally taken its toll, but she said she’ll miss it nonetheless when it’s sold.
“I’ll miss seeing all the customers,” she said. “Business downtown isn’t all that terrific and we’re not the only ones. Somebody will come along some day… and hopefully the person who takes over will keep it somewhat similar.”
Millar said over the years he’s had many great memories, such as being the first producer of Apricot Ale in the world and winning medals from the Great American Beer Festival.
A depressed economy and unpredictability of the restaurant business in general were factors in Millar’s decision to put the pub on the market, he said. He said the business still shows a small profit, and while there’s been some interest he understands it may take years to close the deal.
“This is not the housing market. I know a lot of businesses that have been for sale for 10 years, so what?” Millar said. “If I can’t sell it, I’ll keep working.”
Whether someone grabs the business up tomorrow or it lingers on the market, Millar said he has no regrets about opening up the little business on the corner of San Benito Street.
“It doesn’t take away from our original ideas or even what it is today,” he said. “It’s still a great place.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or
em*******@fr***********.com
