Change Is Brewing In the Ville

Rob Zarko (left) and Jason Kilpatrick. Photo: Todd Strine

Another milestone has been passed in Swarthmore’s new post-dry era. On September 28, the borough’s Zoning Hearing Board unanimously approved a special-exception application from Ship Bottom Brewing to open its Blendery & Barrel House, which will be located at 5 Park Avenue. The venue will include an indoor tasting room as well as a beer garden.

Ship Bottom’s founder, Rob Zarko, who brewed his fi rst beer in 1995 and spent years brewing in his garage in Wallingford, has been quietly building up his brewery’s presence in the region. Ship Bottom currently has outposts on Long Beach Island, New Jersey; in Ambler, Pennsylvania; and at Linvilla Orchards in Media (where it hosts a popular beer garden). Zarko says his Swarthmore location will stay true to Ship Bottom’s dog friendly, kid-friendly culture while offering a “more refined experience.”

“Here, it’s going to be more of an experience around the beer, from the glassware to the pour,” he explained. “They’ll be slow pours, real ales at cellar temp—around 53 degrees,” he said, although he added that colder beers will also be available. A blendery, Zarko explains, is “more of a traditional, old-world style. We ferment the beers, and when we’re aging them, we can blend them in different barrels. It might be a white wine barrel, an oak barrel, or a spirit barrel—like for cognac or rum. We’ll use a blend of different barrels to get different flavor and aroma profiles on the beers.”

The father of four said he also aims to provide the kind of family-friendly gathering place he and his wife appreciated when their children were young. “Our whole model is around family,” Zanko said, noting that the beer garden will also provide games, such as cornhole and a giant Connect Four, that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. “It’s not necessarily a bar. I want something where people can be comfortable— sit down, have a beverage or two, relax, and have a great time while the kids play Jenga.”

Jason Kilpatrick, the owner of 5 Park Avenue and other commercial property in the borough, says he appreciates the idea of the beer garden being not so much a bar as a community hub. “I was chatting with my friend, [Swarthmore native] Taylor Richardson, and he mentioned that in Swarthmore there’s no center of town where people can gather in the evenings.”

That got Kilpatrick thinking about what a new establishment could ideally bring to Swarthmore: “A central spot where people can connect, relax, exchange ideas, have great conversations, maybe even a first date,” he said.

Zarko and Kilpatrick had considered collaborating on a Ship Bottom location for years, Zarko said, “but we could never home in on a spot.” After the Pastuszek family made plans to close its real estate offices at 5 Park Avenue, both the brewer and the property owner felt the space would be a great fi t for Ship Bottom. The Blendery will take over both the indoor space that was long occupied by Pastuszek Real Estate, and the adjacent gardens, which are named for Theodozia Pastuszek, the family matriarch.

“The Pastuszeks have a long history in Swarthmore,” Kilpatrick noted. “They’ve been very gracious in passing the baton to a new business.” Zarko and Kilpatrick say the garden will continue to pay homage to Mrs. Pastuszek while also getting some updates to its look, with the help of the Swarthmore Horticultural Society.

“We’ll have more florals, different trees,” and seating for up to 30, Zarko said. “It’s going to be very quaint, very cozy.”

Mayor Marty Spiegel says he’s anxious to see Ship Bottom’s plans unfold. “I’m absolutely in favor of the kind of development that keeps downtown vital.”

Jenny Shulman, chair of the Zoning Hearing Board, which unanimously approved Ship Bottom’s special-exception application, said the board had seen no reason not to approve it. “All the criteria specified in the code were met,” Shulman said.

Spiegel noted the total absence of any community objections at the zoning board meeting. “No one came forward at the ... meeting with any concerns,” he said. “I take that as a positive sign.”

Zarko hopes to open the Blendery & Barrel House in time for the holidays. He says the outdoor garden area will be open year-round, weather permitting. Dining is not part of the current business plan, but patrons will be welcome to bring outside food to enjoy with their beverages.

Kilpatrick says that, like many other residents, he is thrilled about what this new destination means for the community. “For us to have Ship Bottom come to Swarthmore, with craft beer from a beermaker who’s so passionate about his craft—it’s a huge win,” he said. “This is going to be a whole new chapter for Swarthmore.”