BrickHaus, the new American-style beer garden on Columbia Pike. Photo by Vernon Miles.
For years, Tony and Michelle Wagner watched the abandoned property across the street. It was the kind of building that had been beautiful once, but years of neglect had left it in a state of disrepair. The squat, two-story grey building at 2900 Columbia Pike had opened as a bank in 1902, making it the oldest building on Columbia Pike. Since then it had operated as a brothel, then as Blanca’s Restaurant, but it had been empty for years. Tony Wagner said customers would regularly come into their wine bar, Twisted Vines, and ask about the property. Like their customers, the Wagners wondered who would eventually do something with the property.
When nothing happened, the Wagners took things into their own hands.
After a year of delays, on Sept. 5, BrickHaus finally opened to the public at 2 p.m. Ten minutes later, the restaurant was past capacity and visitors had to be turned away.
“It feels fantastic,” said Tony Wagner. “Everyone has been really patient. We’re ecstatic to be here. It’s been a lot of work.”
The bones of the old bank are still very much a part of the new restaurant. The tile floor is the same from the original bank, as are the cast iron railings. Tony Wagner thanked the Arlington Historical Society for its help in dealing with the county’s historical building protections.
BrickHaus is an American-style beer garden. Beer gardens have been a rising culinary trend in America, and many focus around importing beers from Germany. But Tony Wagner said the idea of beer gardens in Germany is to represent the local community and serve as a gathering place, so the Wagners decided to focus on local, domestic products. Of the 24 beers on tap, all but four are local brands like Port City and DC Brau. The other four are German.
In fitting with the aim to be a community gathering place, many of the patrons on the opening day were local residents of Columbia Pike.
“It’s finally open,” said Evey Staff. He and his brother Greg Staff are lifelong Arlingtonians who live down the street. The Staff brothers said they’ve been watching this building’s development for years.
“It’s really convenient having it here,” said Evey Staff.
Greg Staff said Columbia Pike’s restaurants and retail generally cater to locals, and BrickHaus seemed to fit right in with the local atmosphere.
“We’ve really seen the Pike change over the last ten years,” said Greg Staff. “It’s awesome seeing places like this come in.”
Christine Kovach, an Arlington resident, and her friends cramped against the wall under the stairs, noted that the opening day was particularly crowded, but said that BrickHaus’ atmosphere still seemed cool and fits in as a community restaurant.