Meet Marcin Andruszkiewicz | Owner, Founder, General Manager Type Guy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marcin Andruszkiewicz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marcin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Personally (Marcin here), I had grown up in a family where my parents were immigrants who had started their own construction business, and I had a lot of respect for what they had to go through taking that risk. Especially as people in a foreign land that barely spoke or wrote the language. They were able to do it, be successful at it, and provide for our family. When I graduated college I spent a decade working in the corporate world doing healthcare construction management, and I hated it. I simply could not acclimate to the climate of zero autonomy, and each decision being ruled ultimately by the bottom dollar. I spent the last few years of that job writing a business plan for a brewery, which ended up not materializing, but it laid the ground work and foundation for the beer garden we ended up opening here in California years later. Alanna (my wife) and Laurence (our partner) shared a similar vision for starting something that can be ours, and provide something to the public that we feel is special, unique, and not have to answer only to profit but fulfill the passion we’ve had for beer for years.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Our business began as a dream for a craft brewery in Chicago, IL about 10 years ago. Alanna and I tried to open the brewery twice, and in both instances, we had real estate fall through at the 11th hour. 5 years ago we relocated to the Central Coast. I was working as a professional brewer in Chicago, so I picked right up when we got here and got a job at one of the breweries in Paso Robles, where I met Laurence, now our business partner and co-owner. We got to know each other on the job and after a few years, got to talking about opening a craft beer bar and bottle shop. Alanna and I had already done a lot of the leg work and had lined up a location and began working on the design and layout of the space, Larry brought experience in beer buying and lots of relationships, as he was born and raised on the central coast.

Obviously then the pandemic happened, and needless to say we had schedule impacts and setbacks. However, once we were able to open, the community welcomed us with open arms.

We provide a curated beer, seltzer, and hard kombucha experience. We travel 1-2 times a month up and down California to pick up beer with our truck and trailer from craft breweries that do not distribute to our county, and we order from breweries country and World Wide that most bars don’t take the chance on. Many, if not most of the beers we offer are not available at any other location in San Luis Obispo county, and because of our location between LA and the Bay Area, we offer beer from both areas, which is rare.

Most importantly, we are a true Mom and Pop (and best friend) operation. We didn’t bring in big investors or some corporation to get this place open. We put our life savings on the line to follow a dream and it worked out because our locals believe in what we are doing, and all of our success is thanks to them for coming in time and time again and supporting us!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, we’d obviously start in Atascadero! Its got such an eclectic lineup of small businesses that offer a little of everything you can find in bigger towns! Traffic Records, Wild Fields for beer and lunch, Colony Mash brewing (their seltzer is insane in addition to their beer!) Toshi 1.0 for sushi dinner. Couple rounds of disc golf at Heilman would be in there, a flick at Colony theatre, and gotta take the kids to the zoo and lake park.

We’d probably spend some time in Morro Bay eating oysters at Grassy Bar and taking in the coast. We’d definitely make it to SLO to check out our friend’s breweries- There does not Exist, Liquid Gravity, CCB, and grab a fancy dinner and drinks At Giuseppe’s and sidecar. Maybe get a tattoo from our homies at True West Tattoo!

We’d probably do a mountain bike ride on Cuesta Grade, followed by a day wine tasting at some of the area’s best, too many to name (but we’ll shamelessly plug Levo, Emercy, Desperada, and Epoch).

Beach day in Avila is a must, followed by a jaunt out to Creston for some food and drink at the Long Branch.

Last but not least, gotta hit Paso. Mutiny Burger or Momotaro Ramen for dinner, then some bar hopping between Hatch, Backyard, and Cane Tiki lounge!!!

I’ve probably forgotten a lot, but that sounds like the perfect tour.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Huh. Well, I think we all owe a debt of gratitude to our families for shaping us for who we are (good and bad). Also a shout out to the craft beer industry as a whole for being a collaborative, accepting, and positive force that was able to foster our passion and give us the confidence to take a risk on going out on our own, but being there en force when it came time to work together. Also, a big thanks to our local small business owners that have gone through hell the last few years, and have really had to dig deep to keep climbing a mountain that seemingly only gets taller as time goes on- with smiles on their faces.

Lastly, a personal shout out to my wife Alanna for pushing me throughout the years to keep this dream alive and supporting my crazy decisions to get here.

Website: www.ancientowlbeergarden.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ancientowlbeergarden

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ancientowlbeer

Image Credits
Todd Meaney Marcin Andruszkiewicz