New Times / News

More changes are in store for Downtown Brewing Co.

BY MATT FOUNTAIN

Just five years after Compass Health took over Downtown Brewing Co., ownership of the popular San Luis Obispo pub is once again changing hands.

Hamish Marshall, vice president of the real estate management and development firm WestPac Investments, Inc., will take over from Darren Smith and Mark Woolpert of the aforementioned senior health facilities company, which currently owns six skilled-nursing homes and two assisted-living facilities in San Luis Obispo County. The company, one of the county’s largest private employers, began investing in restaurants and pubs six years ago.

The pub, formerly known as SLO Brew, was sold to Smith and Woolpert five years ago.

Downtown Brew is housed in a building on Garden Street, which is already slated to become part of WestPac’s major Garden Street Terrace hotel project.

WestPac employs more than 350 people and operates businesses throughout California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Hawaii. According to its website, WestPac projects have included more than 5,000 apartment units, seven hotels, five senior living communities, a number of single family subdivisions, condominiums, and office buildings.

Compass Health will continue to own Paso Robles Downtown Brewing Co., as well as the Custom House and Mr. Rick’s in Avila Beach, and the Ventana Grill in Pismo Beach.

Neither Marshall nor Compass Health could be reached for comment as of press time.