Bright Eye Brewing – the first brewery on the Kamloops North Shore – is about 80 per cent completed.
Co-owner Richard Marken can see the light at the end of the tunnel, as the brewery which will be located in the Station on Tranquille got a major regulatory approval last Friday.
“The technical safety authority has to approve all custom gas and venting type operations like a brewery,” he said. “So that entire setup has to be documented and then sent to the government for approval.”
Marken says the approval allows them to complete the construction ahead of an opening some time next month.
Fellow co-owner Mitchell Forgie notes there is still a ton of work to be done before the taps can start flowing.
“We need to install hand washing sinks, and other than that it’s a lot of cleaning up. We haven’t started hiring yet, so that’s going to be an absolutely huge job,” he noted. “Menu development, because you know we are going to have a full lunch and dinner menu.”
Much of the decor inside the pub is already in place, including a massive mural by local artist Kelly Wright, which depicts a view of the North Shore and the brewery logo. A entire wall length painting made of recycled fence posts which doubles as soundproofing has also been installed.
The duo expect to hire about 50 people to work in the brewery and there are plans to be open some time next month.