Just a few years ago, the idea of a thriving craft beer scene in downtown Mesa – conservative, Mormon-influenced, roll-up-the-streets-at-sundown downtown Mesa – was laughable.
‘‘I went to lunch one day and I ordered a beer with my burger,’’ Eric Cady recalls. ‘‘I just remember the server looking at me like, ‘Really?’’
Well, no one is laughing or rolling their eyes now, and Cady has become part of downtown’s ongoing transformation.
Cady and friends Trent Smith and Gary Geisbert (pictured above, from right) just opened Chupacabra Taproom, a 28-tap craft beer and wine bar on Robson just north of Main.
Chupacabra joins Desert Eagle Brewing, Oro Brewing, Cider Corps, and an under-construction 12 West Brewing space – all less than a block away.
The three owners have done some homebrewing, but otherwise have no experience in the craft beer business. “We’re all fans of beer,’†Cady says. “But our experience has been on the other side of the bar.â€
Even before the taproom’s soft opening June 4, the three received a warm welcome from the other downtown businesses.
‘‘We don’t want to step on anybody’s toes,’’ Geisbert says. ‘‘In our opinion, it just means more places to go in downtown Mesa and, fortunately, everyone else has seen it the same way.’’
The 1949 brick building is small – just 900 square feet – enough to accommodate about three dozen people inside and another dozen on the sidewalk patio.
Cady, Smith, and Geisbert are the only three staffers, juggling bartending, construction, and administrative duties along with their day jobs. Cady operates an online store, Smith is a Realtor, and Geisbert works in IT.
They may hire more staff eventually, but Cady says, ‘‘The goal for the first year is just us. This space is manageable in a way that we don’t necessarily have to hire people and can do it ourselves.’’
The trio had been planning a taproom for years and looked at a number of 1,500-to 2,000-square-foot locations, especially in Queen Creek. Their top requirement was a patio.
‘‘Once you eliminate 90 percent of your options by saying you want a patio, then of the remaining 10 percent there’s also (a lease restriction against bars from) a Target, a Walmart, a gym, or too close to a church,’’ Geisbert says.
Eventually, they downsized their plans to the downtown Mesa building that Smith owns and was using for a digital conversion business.
“I like this space,’’ Cady says. ‘‘I like how it turned out, how it’s smaller. I like how the neighborhood is.â€
Construction work began last August. The trio removed the drop ceiling to reveal the original wood rafters. They installed a new electrical system and cut up the concrete floor for new plumbing.
The hardest part, though, was the seemingly endless task of removing what Geisbert calls ‘‘70 years of 150 coats of paint†from the red brick walls.
An eye-catching metal bar with laser-cut name and logo was custom-designed by Liquid Metal Concepts in Phoenix. Wood picnic tables are set up outside.
The building, which once was divided into two even smaller spaces, still has two front doors, although one is kept locked.
The trio had difficulty coming up with a name for the taproom until one day, as they were hanging around the pool, Geisbert’s wife, who is Mexican, jokingly suggested Chupacabra, a mythical beast or, literally, ‘‘goat-sucker.’’ The guys immediately liked it.
“She said, ‘No, I’m joking. That’s a terrible idea,’’’ Geisbert laughs. ‘‘But everyone who hears it seems to love the name.’’
Besides 28 beers on tap, Chupacabra sells two beers in cans – Pabst Blue Ribbon and Montucky Cold Snacks – along with red and white wines by glass.
Cady says food trucks will be scheduled on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays – and possibly even for Taco Tuesdays.
Somewhere way down the owners’ lengthy to-do list is the possibility of a rooftop bar – the only way Chupacabra can expand since, as Cady notes, ‘‘the property line is literally the corners of the building.’’
With summer arriving in force, there are more pressing concerns. The air-conditioning system is being upgraded and misters will be added to patio. A Crowler machine also is on the way.
‘‘We’re kinda building the plane as it’s in flight,’’ Geisbert says.
Chupacabra Taproom, 14 N. Robson, Mesa (map), opens at 2 p.m. weekdays and noon weekends and remains open until at least 11 p.m. Hours may change in the future based on customer preferences. Phone: (480) 206-4370.
