Wednesday, March 16, via the Facebook group Broken Top Bottle Shop Friends, I learned that two of the original four partners in BTBS will be shortly selling their share to the other two.
Diana Fischetti and Andy Polanchek are moving on and leaving the beloved bottle shop and restaurant in the capable hands of Jason and Jennifer Powell. We love all four of these folks and this is kind of bittersweet for us.
Picture of Broken Top Bottle Shop & Ale Café owners & partners shortly after they opened. L-R: Jennifer Powell, Andy Polanchek, Jason Powell, and Diana Fischetti. Picture credit believed to belong to Gina Schauland.
We first went to BTBS in May 2012 just three plus months after they opened when we were here for Sara’s interview. We moved just up the College Way hill from them in August 2012 and commenced to being regulars. Let me just put it this way: On Untappd I have 455 checkins at BTBS. Our good friend Ryan has 302 and my lovely wife (who started using Untappd way after me) has 116. We are the top three. [At our own home location I have 714, she has 142, and Ryan has 100.]
We used to live at the other end of the street which was just over 1 mile, with a fairly significant hill. The way down was easy. One earned their beer and food with the walk back home. Almost entirely uphill. We have since moved somewhat across town but nowhere else is close for either of us on checkins. The next two would be Platypus Pub and Deschutes Bend Public House, which both around 160 checkins for me [versus 455].
This is our place. I wrote about them in the Oregon Beer Growler. [PDF: November, 2013, p. 18] I talk and write about them frequently. I even have a TextExpander shortcut for “Broken Top Bottle Shop & Ale Café.” Most of my browsers, at home or work, “know” that “b” typed in the address bar means “http://btbsbend.com/“ so I can check either or both of the tap list and specials menu.
I stopped by there Thursday on the way home from work to do some business with a local brewer friend. Got myself a converted half barrel to use as a mash tun and boil kettle. Stoked! But I saw both Jason and Jennifer (separately) and they are stoked to move on to this new phase. “Team Powell” is on the way and looking forward to maintaining their place and the community, along with bringing us new things. We are excited.
Friday evening was also the “Sail Away Party” for Andy and Diana during the Stone tasting. We went down for dinner and beers after I closed up the Barber Library at 5 pm. Thankfully we got a few minutes to chat with both of them. They aren’t leaving us right away and have some irons in the fire, so to speak, so we’ll be looking forward to seeing where this next phase goes for all of them and the shop.
We want to extend our heartfelt good wishes to Diana and Andy in whatever comes next in their lives. Cheers, friends!
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