by Jay Breslin
With a snip of Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce‘s official scissors, co-owner Jamie Robinson sliced through the ceremonial ribbon to launch the grand opening party for West Chester’s newest brewpub.
On Friday, June 27, Boxcar Brewing Company held the official launch party for its bar and restaurant, which is in the space formerly known as The Note. The location has been flying somewhat under the radar since February, giving co-owners Jamie and Kym Robinson and their staff time to fine-tune the concept. They’ve tweaked the menu and concocted distinct beer cocktails to create a unique new drinking and dining experience in the borough. The Grand Opening Party was full of dancing, juggling, easygoing bar talk and endlessly flowing, locally brewed craft beer.
After the ceremonial ribbon cutting, friends and family headed inside to enjoy the assortment of craft beers, live music and fun conversation. The Blackbird Society Orchestra provided a complementary soundtrack by performing 1920s-style jazz. While some people chose to dance, others sat back and relaxed with a cocktail.
Boxcar has subtle yet striking tastes down pat. The 1492 American Pale Ale was refreshing and very drinkable, while still possessing an earthy hop bite. Also on tap was a fresh batch of Imperial Mango, an amped-up version of the popular Mango Ginger Pale Ale. The hops sit very well with the fruity flavor, and, as Jamie said, “at 7.7%, it has a little kick to it.” Other notable brews were the smooth Coal Runner Stout on nitro, with hints of coffee, and a new Belgian Wit made with bitter orange peel and coriander. The bartenders also served up beer cocktails, including a shandy made by mixing Passenger Ale and lemonade and a Summer Hoedown crafted with Dolly Flopper IPA and watermelon juice. Sweet and tasty.
Not long after the party officially kicked off, both floors of the brewpub were packed with celebratory beer lovers. Several attendees came dressed in retro attire, which gave the party a Prohibition Era speakeasy feel. The jazz added to that mood, wafting through the venue as the staff served hors d’oeuvres that included spiced shrimp, pesto flatbread and pulled pork sliders. People enjoyed their drink of choice as they mingled at the bar or on the couches or maybe played some arcade games. Several lively attendees even threw on their dancing shoes, including West Chester’s mayor Carolyn Comitta. She was ecstatic about the atmosphere that Boxcar has created, saying, “It’s a complete home run” and “fun for the whole family.”
Jamie explained that Boxcar Brewpub is a community-based environment and that it will be holding afternoon movie matinees and other events for kids. He and Kym have a nine-year-old daughter, which helps them keep family values at the forefront. At the end of the bar, the room opened up to reveal kids playing pinball and Ms. PacMan as parents danced and relaxed nearby. “We really want to make it [the brewpub] family-friendly and approachable and have more of that local tavern feel,” Jamie explained. The mellow attitude works; everyone in attendance was relaxed and seemed to be there because they love good beer and supporting local businesses.
As Jamie said, Boxcar’s mindset is to be “approachable for everybody—not your standard watering hole.” With this credo, expect Boxcar to have community-centric events lined up, including open mics on Wednesdays, live music or comedy on the weekends and classic movie showings. For those non-beer lovers out there, the brewpub also offers ciders made in Phoenixville and an extensive selection of Pennsylvania wine. Mayor Comitta summed it up best when she said, “People want to come together; they want to be together, and this is a great new place to do it. Really wonderful.”
Boxcar Brewpub is located at 142 E. Market St. in West Chester; phone: (484) 947-2503. Find a list of upcoming events on the Boxcar website, and follow the brewpub on Facebook or Twitter for updates.
Photo credits: Jay Breslin
