West Main to gain Locust Cider & Brewing Co.

A new cider bar is coming to downtown Spokane, according to permits issued by the city.

Locust Cider & Brewing Co. is spending about $40,000 to upgrade 2,300 square feet of space at 421 W. Main Ave. The block of historical buildings has attracted many restaurants in recent years, including Durkin’s Liquor Bar, Austin’s Live Fire Barbecue, Madeleine’s Cafe & Patisserie and Sweet Peaks Ice Cream.

The cider producer was founded in 2015 in Woodinville, Washington, by brothers Jason and Patrick Spears. Since then, it has built taprooms in Seattle, Tacoma, Walla Walla, Fort Worth, Texas, and Boulder, Colorado.

Earlier this year, the company merged with Dirty Bucket Brewing Co.

According to the company website, there is a “major shortage of cider-specific apples,” which led the company to form a process focused on “the everyday apple.” The company uses “cull apples, apples that are too small, misshapen, or otherwise undesirable to grocery stores and use those as the base for most of our ciders.”

The project’s contractor is Basso Construction, of Spokane. Uptic Studios, also of Spokane, is the architect.