Photo contributed.

Hiring has begun for the third installment of Fresno and Clovis’ own neighborhood brewery and restaurant, set to open in the middle of July.

The northeast corner of Herndon and Marks avenues will be home to Mad Duck Craft Brewing Co.’s newest venture, one Alex Costa, principal at the brewpub chain, says will be “more neighborhood and less destination.” 

Talks to move to the area began two years ago, when those at the company began exploring the expansion.

“Northwest Fresno is hugely underserved in terms of casual full-service restaurants,” said Costa. “We’ve certainly never had a brewery over there.”

Mad Duck management aimed to make the brewery and restaurant a second home for families in the area, whom Costa calls the company’s bread-and-butter.

 

 

To match that “neighborhood” feel, designs outlined a space with lower ceilings and plenty of brick to give it that “warm” atmosphere.

Construction started in February and has been “going wonderfully,” said Costa. They were originally  anticipating an August or September opening. They’ve contracted with Paden & Bletscher Constructino, Inc. 

Of the 5,800 square feet at the location, 1,500 will be dedicated to on-site brewing. The location will seat between 100-120 people with a patio area for around 40. What Costa said the crew also wanted was a meeting space for birthday parties, business meetings or presentations. The space in Northwest Fresno will accommodate 40 people comfortably, Costa said.

Interviews are underway for the between-60-and-70 positions they want to fill from back-of-the-house cooks and dishwashers to front-of-the-house servers and greeters.

 

 

The company also recently hired an additional brewer and Fresno State graduate, Robbie Beard to help veteran brewer Mark Bagdasarian in producing enough beer to keep thirsty patrons sated.

Costa, Jacob Uribe and a handful of others built their first brewery at Herndon and Willow avenues nine years ago, where Costa says it was small and cozy and they knew everyone. The second location opened in 2015.

“We started this as a bunch of kids and now we have a bunch of kids,” said Costa.