Pub owner using COVID down time to make upgrades

One of Coldstream’s oldest and best-known businesses is upgrading its building while waiting out the economic slowdown caused by COVID-19.

Alexanders Beach Pub is currently closed to allow for a kitchen expansion and adding new washrooms at their site on Kalamalka Road next to Kal Beach.

Owner and general manager Gary Batula says it’s something they’ve been planning for a couple of years, and the current downturn seemed like a good time to get the work done.

“It will be a big change for us. It’s going to be really good for the business. We we’re almost outgrown when we bought the business 15 years ago. So we’ve been making that work, but now we should have ample space for everything,” Batula told Vernon Matters.

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Batula said while the pub will get some “touch-ups,” it’s more about behind-the-scenes upgrades so they can serve customers better with improved storage and coolers.

The owner doesn’t have a cost estimate but says it’s the biggest upgrade he’s made in 15 years as owner.

“Everything for kitchen and restaurant is extremely expensive. It’s going to be a little bit pricey, I can say that.”

Batula hopes to have it done by end of April or early May.

A drive-thru for the pub, or the adjoining liquor store, is not part of the project.

“They [province] don’t really do the drive-thru [liquor] license any more. I would have loved to. To have a drive-thru in our liquor store would be ideal, but from what I’ve been told by the liquor inspector, they don’t offer that anymore. I guess it promotes drinking and driving.”

Batula said in the early going of the pandemic, the liquor store was a lot busier than normal, but it’s since slowed down.

“Everybody was preparing. We had people coming in and they would order a case of wine and a box of Baileys, and grab it to go, because they weren’t sure the next time they would be able to come in, or what was going to happen,” he said.