Rocky Osborn fulfilled a lifelong dream this week when he opened the Aces Comedy Club in Murrieta in what used to be known as “furniture row.”

In doing so, he is also giving traction to the city’s efforts to transfor...

Read more]]> BY TIFFANY RAY STAFF WRITER tray@pe.com Published: 06 April 2012 04:18 PM

Rocky Osborn fulfilled a lifelong dream this week when he opened the Aces Comedy Club in Murrieta in what used to be known as “furniture row.”

In doing so, he is also giving traction to the city’s efforts to transform the property into a diversified commercial center.

Housed in a long-vacant former furniture store off Interstate 215, the 5,400-square-foot comedy club debuted Thursday night to a near-capacity crowd in what is now called Murrieta Crossings.

Next month, Aces will be joined by Brew-Ligion, a Temecula brewpub that is expanding to Murrieta with a second, larger location in the Crossings.

Osborn and his business partner, Kim May, have reconfigured the space, adding a lobby and bar, restrooms, and a green room for performers, and turning a 3,000-square-foot former furniture showroom into a 170-seat theater. The club’s liquor license is not yet in place, but Osborn said he’s hoping to have it soon.

Seating is tiered, with a section of small tables and chairs in the front backed by a “VIP” section of reclining loveseats and, at the back, rows of couches and tall pub tables. The building has a capacity of 200, but Osborn said they have limited seating to 170 to give people ample room.

Osborn, a longtime stand-up comic and magician, said he and May have organized comedy-show fundraisers at Inland venues such as the Temecula Stampede and the Pechanga Resort & Casino. Last year, they decided to take advantage of low real estate prices and open a club of their own.

They looked initially for a site in Temecula but switched gears when Murrieta officials offered to help them in their search. Osborn said he got the idea for the Crossings driving home one night along Interstate 215.

The timing was right. Faced with rising vacancies as the home-furnishing industry shrinks, the city has rezoned “furniture row” to allow for a wider range of commercial uses. And a Sacramento-based property manager, appointed by the courts last fall when the property was placed in receivership, has been working to court new kinds of businesses to the center.

Osborn said the site’s easy access and freeway visibility were a draw, as was the building’s layout.

“When I walked in and looked at it, I could actually visualize the comedy club,” he said.

Brent Szychulda and his business partner, Mike Toner, opened the original Brew-Ligion in Temecula last fall, offering a casual food menu along with a rotating selection of about 15 microbrews. Their new Murrieta restaurant, slated to open next month in the Crossings, will feature a more upscale menu of fresh fish, steak and seafood, along with live bands and other entertainment, an evolving selection of about 45 microbrews, most of them local, and wines, Szychulda said.

The 5,800-square-foot restaurant will double as a brewery, producing its own brand of craft beer in 10-barrel batches to sell on site and through other bar and restaurant outlets.

Turning a furniture store into a restaurant and brewery is an extensive project, but the city and the landlord have been supportive, Szychulda said.

“It was basically just a box with no plumbing in it when we took it over.”

In today’s economy, there aren’t as many retailers to fill vacant space, and the change in focus at Murrieta Crossings recognizes that, said Bruce Coleman, economic development director for Murrieta.

The city receives a lot of requests from residents for more restaurants, he said, so the new venues are a way to meet that need and to encourage local entrepreneurship.

“This is truly a very creative reuse of furniture space to take advantage of the growth in Murrieta. And Murrieta is a place that welcomes restaurants and other types of uses to keep growing our economy.”

Aces will run shows Thursday through Sunday nights. Upcoming performers include Dat Phan, the original winner of television’s “Last Comic Standing.”

Information: www.laughyouraceoff.com
Original Article: http://www.pe.com/business/business-headlines/20120406-murrieta-comedy-craft-brew-on-tap-at-crossings.ece?ssimg=531213#ssStory531216

Two local childhood friends turned a dream of doing something unique into a thriving business and are now expanding into a roomier location to accommodate in-house brew making: Beer on another level.

Brew-Ligion owners, Mike Toner and Brent Sz...

Read more]]> By Stephanie D. Schulte, on April 18, 2012, at 8:39 am

Two local childhood friends turned a dream of doing something unique into a thriving business and are now expanding into a roomier location to accommodate in-house brew making: Beer on another level.

Brew-Ligion owners, Mike Toner and Brent Szychulda, who both served in the military, spent several years brainstorming about opening a brewery/restaurant in the Temecula Valley, which they did last year in September.

“Brent and I have wanted to change the whole atmosphere in the Temecula Valley with regards to a brewery,” Toner said while juggling phone calls. “Our wheels were spinning with visions of something different.”

Then, while enjoying a glass of wine during a spur of a moment trip to Napa, they became enthralled and inspired by the story of  how the owners of Cakebread Cellars turned their dreams into a wildly successful business.

“The heart and dedication that the owner’s put into creating Cakebread Cellars sparked something in us,” Toner said.

The expansion into the new location located on Los Alamos in Murrieta was inevitable given the duo’s determination and love for the art of beer making.

“Our vision was always to create a brewery and our current location isn’t big enough to house one,” Toner said. “We were in the process of obtaining our manufacturing license when we heard about the larger vacant space in Murrieta.”

Toner added they plan to have 50 craft beers on tap, gourmet burgers, sandwiches, seafood, pasta, chicken and steak — all whipped up by a seasoned chef.

The man in the kitchen, Oscar Madamba, was the head chef at the famous Outrigger Reef Hotel in Waikiki before moving to the mainland.

“He is an amazing chef,” Toner said

The new brewery is slated to have a ten barrel system that will be visible to customers as they drink and dine.

“It will definitely be an experience for people,” Toner said with a smile.

Both men are excited and hope the elbow grease they are pouring into their endeavor will be a lesson for their children in pursuing dreams.

“We are setting an example for our children that to be successful you have to roll up your sleeves and put some effort into making your dreams a reality.”

The new location is slated to open before summer.

Stephanie D. Schulte is a writer/photographer with SWRNN.  She can be reached at stephanie.schulte@swrnn.com.

Orginal Article: http://www.swrnn.com/2012/04/18/got-beer-new-brewery-on-tap-for-murrieta/

Art Velez of Temecula and J.J. Carrell of Carlsbad are friends, co-workers as fellow U.S. Border Patrol agents and teammates on this season of CBS’ “The Amazing Race.”
The Amazing Race, Art Velez, J.J. Carrell

Art Velez (left), of Temecul...

Read more]]> By Rachael Recker, on February 26, 2012, at 11:55 am

Art Velez of Temecula and J.J. Carrell of Carlsbad are friends, co-workers as fellow U.S. Border Patrol agents and teammates on this season of CBS’ “The Amazing Race.”
The Amazing Race, Art Velez, J.J. Carrell

Art Velez (left), of Temecula, and J.J. Carrell, of Carlsbad, are teammates on this season of "The Amazing Race." (Courtesy photo, Facebook)

The two are hoping to raise money for a good cause, support area businesses and allow local supporters to follow their “Amazing” journey by hosting viewing parties at Temecula and North County San Diego restaurants.

A portion of the proceeds raised from the viewing parties will be donated to the Border Patrol Foundation, a nonprofit that aids families of fallen and severely injured Border Patrol agents.

The first viewing party for the show’s premiere was held last Sunday in La Jolla, where $1,000 was raised for the foundation, Velez’s wife Kimberly said.

“We’re going to try to continue that trend as long as we can,” she said.

Viewing parties will last as long as the two remain on the show.

A viewing party will be held tonight at Brew-Ligion Bar & Grill, 27470 Commerce Center Drive, in Temecula from 6 to 10 p.m. Owners will be donating 25 percent of the proceeds to the foundation. The venue usually is closed on Sundays but is opening its doors for the event.

The smaller venue has a capacity of 80, so some people may have to be turned away depending on the turnout.

Follow Velez’s and Carrell’s journey on the show via their Facebook fan page, where locations of upcoming viewing parities will be announced.

Learn a little bit more about the two local contestants via the show’s website, where both provide humorous answers to questions about themselves and their teammate.

“They’re hilarious. They really are. As they continue on (the show) a little bit, more of their personalities are going to come out. They’re a great couple of guys,” Kimberly Velez said.

You can also follow the local team on Twitter.

“The Amazing Race,” now in its 20th season, airs at 8 p.m. Sundays.

Orginal Article: http://www.swrnn.com/2012/02/26/local-amazing-race-contestants-helping-nonprofit-with-viewing-parties/

Knowing "when to quit" served as the theme for Wednesday's Murrieta Planning Commission meeting, where commissioners approved three new liquor licenses for a gas station, convenience store and a coming comedy club.

While some at the three-hour meeting were thrilled to hear that they could order...

Read more]]>  

Knowing "when to quit" served as the theme for Wednesday's Murrieta Planning Commission meeting, where commissioners approved three new liquor licenses for a gas station, convenience store and a coming comedy club.

While some at the three-hour meeting were thrilled to hear that they could order a brew while taking in a show, others cautioned that the city is getting carried away with awarding liquor licenses.

The phrase "how many more?" was echoed by several speakers who argued that increased alcohol sales would lead to problems.

Commissioners also were split on the benefits and pitfalls of allowing alcohol sales. In two of the three cases, the panel voted 3-2, with commissioners Greg Goodman and Anthony Casadonte voting no in both. Only the Aces Comedy Club application received unanimous approval.

"The city is really excited about the announcement of this new entertainment venue coming to town," Associate Planner Aaron Rintamaki said during the third hearing of the evening. "They will be providing an alternative form of live comedy entertainment that is not available at all so, it's actually quite exciting for us."

The comedy club will be at 39745 Avenida Acacias inside the Murrieta Home Center, also known as Furniture Row. The club will offer stand-up comedy, beer, wine and cocktails on Thursday through Sunday nights.

Club co-owner Rocky Osborn said the club could open mid-March and would be a draw for comedy lovers from all over Southern California.

"I talk to people on a regular basis who travel to see their favorite comedians," Osborn said. "What makes us different is we're not like a restaurant, we're not a bar, not a night club, people don't come in continuously all day long, and many people won't drink at a comedy club. I don't drink and I don't associate with people that get drunk."

Neighbors of the area, however, told commissioners that they foresee problems with public intoxication, drunken driving and public disturbances. They also said that people shouldn't have to drink in order to laugh at a good joke.

"Personally, I think it kind of makes sense that 170 people leaving Aces will be far more rowdy and far less respectful (of their surroundings) than 170 who haven't been drinking," said resident Tony Bertolino. "I don't think it's a necessity that this establishment serves alcohol."

While the comedy club was the most dynamic of the three applications discussed Wednesday, it wasn't the most challenged during the hearing.

Earlier in the evening, commissioners approved a liquor license request by the owners of an ARCO gas station at 39460 Murrieta Hot Springs Road.

That license request had previously been denied at an administrative hearing, in part because of a steadfast group of residents who had fought the application since October.

On appeal, however, a slim majority of planning commissioners were swayed by the gas station owner, who agreed to numerous conditions imposed by city planning and police departments aimed at controlling the sales of alcohol.

While some of those same residents attended the hearing, they saved their comments opposing alcohol sales for the second of the three applications: beer and wine sales at the existing 7-Eleven convenience store at 40210 Murrieta Hot Springs Road.

Public speakers called the sale of alcohol at that convenience store "excessive" and said it would jeopardize the lives of their children by giving more access to drunken drivers.

Their testimony, however, did not convince a majority of commissioners that approving the liquor license would mean the deterioration of the community.

"I hear people saying it's ‘excessive availability and we will have problems'," Commissioner Jeff Kirshberg said. "So we want to avoid excessive availability, but at the same time we deliberately and intentionally removed (previous rules that required a 500-foot separation between alcohol sales and residences). We had many discussions about that."

Read more]]> TEMECULA â" Brew-Ligion, a new restaurant in the city of Temecula, officially opened for business on Sept. 1st. At the restaurant, you can taste the menu created by the chefs from the television show on Fox, âœHellâ's Kitchenâ, Amanda Colello, Executive Chef, and Brendan Heavey, Chef de Cuisine.

Owners, Brent Szychulda and Mike Toner, wanted to open a place that offered a great atmosphere with good food, a variety of micro-brews on tap, with affordable prices. It was after a trip to Napa with their wives, Holly and Angel, that they decided it was time to put their dream in motion. The stories they have Advertisement
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The chefs have put together a breakfast and a lunch menu that include the Brew-Ligion burger, NY meatball sandwich, and a beet and blue salad that are quickly becoming popular lunch items. For the full menu, visit www.brew-ligion.com.

Brew-Ligion is located at 27470 Commerce Center Drive, Suite A in Temecula and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Happy Hour is served daily from 2:30 p.m. to closing.

Original Post:
http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/58878/