Bru: An indoor beer garden in Center City
Teddy Sourias of Finn McCool's is about a month from opening.
Picture this: an indoor German-style beer garden in the heart of Center City - with computerized beer-tap system on the wall, oversize garage door to bring the outdoors in, and a spot to plug in a laptop or iPad.
That's all coming in March at 1318 Chestnut St. when Bru opens.
Teddy Sourias, who owns the Finn McCool's Pub and Prime Lounge at 12th and Sansom Streets, has been putting Bru together for the last year in the former Mitchell & Ness retail shop, a double-wide storefront on a (for now) fairly quiet stretch of Chestnut Street between Juniper and 13th Streets.
Bru will have two entrances - one through the front on Chestnut and the other on Drury Street in the rear. Bru backs up to the front of McGillin's Olde Ale House, the city's oldest bar.
German-style menu - and, sorry: no burgers or cheesesteaks. Sourias says you can get those anywhere.
The draft wall will be run off of iPads. Six beers will be self-service; you buy a "brew card" and swipe to select what and how much you want. A nearby bar, whose taps will be carved into the side of a tree and suspended from the ceiling - will have 32 drafts of which 15 will be locals.
The TV soccer focus will mean lots of 7 a.m. openings.