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The highly-anticipated (amongst the crowd I run with at least) & locally-run Newhall Refinery pub will open tonight at 4pm its owners announced on FACEBOOK this morning.
The Refinery has been teasing food enthusiasts for months, showing hints of its menu, construction photographs, and more. The Refinery's social media mission has resulted in some 670 likes on its page, all before an SCVer had his tummy filled or his thirst for spirits slaked.
Depending on who you talk to, the opening of the Refinery is either validation of the City's decades-long strategy of remaking Old Town Newhall into an arts/entertainment/restaurant district or just a stroke of luck, I suppose. Critics of Old Town Newhall's redevelopment point out that the area still has a lack of parking and high-density residential development. They complain that making Main Street into two lane road, with multiple stop signs, and moving high speed traffic to Railroad Avenue has killed many businesses in Old Town.
But I think Newhall Refinery chose their spot wisely. They're right on Main Street in the most walkable, transit-friendly part of Santa Clarita. They know the City throws ArtSlam and SENSES events several times a month which draw hundreds to Main Street, so if nothing else, they'll probably make money on those nights. To the critics, I'd point out that there's never been much parking in Old Town Newhall, and if Main Street hadn't become more ped-friendly with traffic being diverted to Railroad, ped-friendly events and a walkable environment would not have been possible.
With the Refinery's social media strategy, they've built up a lot of anticipation. I hope they meet the foodies' high expectations, but I hope even more that this is a sign that Old Town Newhall -along with Saugus!- is the SCV's next big thing.
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