In August, Pacific Islander Beer Co. ended its nine-year run in south Santee. At the time, the company’s founder cited a steep monthly rent increase as the primary reason for his reason to pull the plug and speculated that a non-beer tenant was in line to take over the 4,000-square-foot industrial unit he’d called home for the better part of a decade. But that is not the case. The combination brewery and tasting room has new tenants, Scott and Tessa Christian, the married couple behind work-in-progress Sunny Grove Brewing.
San Diego Beer News first reported on the Christians’ project in April 2022, when the married couple was working to convert a former auto shop in Lemon Grove. Located on Broadway, the East County municipality’s main drag, the 2,100-square-foot space included just as much outdoor patio space. It was appealing to the Christians, who also loved the idea of bringing more local beer to a city that, at the time, had just one other brewery. That operation, 13 Point Brewing, has since shuttered after four years in business.
“We were very excited about our previous location. Unfortunately, we ran into issues with the City of Lemon Grove and SDG&E that ultimately made the build-out infeasible,” says Scott. “We continued to look for spaces that would work for our vision, and when we learned of this space becoming available, we toured it with the property owner, and it became clear that it would be a good fit for us.”
The Christians were further encouraged by the fact the Santee space previously housed a brewery, lessening the likelihood that they would encounter the permitting and utility issues that forced them to give up on their Lemon Grove project site. Also adding to the appeal of their new digs is an extensive patio area that was consistently filled during the Pacific Islander era. There is also a mezzanine, and though the Christians aren’t sure exactly what they’ll do with that second-story perch, they see it as prime real estate for their patrons.
Currently, the Christians are working to obtain the various permits and licenses they will require to brew beer and serve the public. While they are optimistic and hope to have Sunny Grove open by next spring, they concede that it may take until summer to debut the business. When the tasting room opens, the beer board will consist of various IPAs, both clear and hazy, as well as Old World styles hailing from Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland. They are the beers that the Christians enjoy drinking and will be produced in small batches.
Originally, the Christians had been eager to build in Lemon Grove or a community similarly underserved from a craft ale and lager perspective like beer-barren Spring Valley. With only two other breweries and brewery-owned venues—BNS Brewing & Distilling, Oggi’s and Three Frogs Beer Co.—Santee has ample representation, but the Christians hope to add styles and style not already available within the city limits. Part of that will include keeping the name Sunny Grove despite it being inspired by the city in which they’d originally aimed to settle.
“The name, branding and vibe are all part of what we hope to bring to our customers and the community — a bright, fun, welcoming place to be and enjoy a drink with family and friends,” says Scott. “We’re excited to have found a location the fits our needs and cant wait to show it to the community and welcome everyone in for a beer.”
Sunny Grove Brewing is located at 8665 Argent Street, Suite B in Santee