The Challenge: When Blane and Stacey Perry decided to open Sinistral Brewing Company. in Historic Downtown Manassas, they had a clear vision for the look and feel of their taproom, and defined requirements for the brewery area. They needed an architect who “got” their vision, and could finalize their design to ensure it met City of Manassas codes, also helping the entrepreneurs to navigate the permitting and construction phases. Brewery design experience was important too, as the industry must adhere to additional federal and state regulations. Additionally, the pair, longtime area residents, was committed to using local vendors.

The Solution: In Loveless Porter Architects, the Perrys found a firm that was competitively priced, with a number of brewery and distillery projects under its belt and established connections with city and state planning officials.

“Sean Porter was supportive of our vision. He made sure it met code, recommended engineering consultants, and was very helpful with everything we asked,” said Blane. “He helped greatly in getting Sinistral open for business by making sure the process with the city kept moving; he kept the ball rolling.”

Sean’s relationships with building officials and knowledge of building codes were advantageous when the brewery was faced with city architectural requests that would have increased building costs and delayed opening. Through meetings with the city’s building development team, Sean demonstrated that the changes were not necessary by code and thereby kept the project on schedule.

“Sean is easy to work with, and he will take care of you,” said Blane.

The Result: Sinistral Brewing was able to open ahead of Thanksgiving weekend, positioning the new business to be available for holiday shoppers and social gatherings. The eclectic taproom, with warm wood tones and industrial chic touches, and outdoors spaces, flow together in a unified design. True to the Perrys’ vision, Sinistral offers an inviting place for visitors to stop by after work, yet feel like they are already at home.