After finally securing the needed building permits, the local owners of Craft Beer Cellar have gotten to work on remodeling the old Papa John’s Pizza into a haven for beer lovers. This week, that work led to a fun find when the unusual vintage wallpaper pictured above was revealed on the western wall of the building.
Adorned with an Asian theme, the design includes calligraphy, village scenes and boats. It also features antique shipping stamps that name, among others, the Clipper Comet, which was the name of a ship built in 1851 that traveled from San Francisco to Hong Kong and back before it was lost at sea in 1865.
Owner Stan Nauman says the wallpaper was buried under sheetrock, but he has no idea when it was installed. “I’m guessing it was part of Lads and Dads,” he says, referencing the clothing shop that occupied the space in the 1960s. “That’s as far back as the city records go on this building, even though the building is 100 years old.”
We’re curious if any of our readers remember this cool piece of history, and can tell us what business featured this uncommon design.
Nauman has saved a section of the wallpaper that he plans to frame and display once Craft Beer Cellar opens, which they hope will be by Labor Day. Nauman and co-owner Jim Waskow plan to restore much of the original building, including polishing up the original terrazzo floors and adding a fresh coat of paint to the newly exposed beams, which were blackened by a fire and covered over some years ago.
Once opened, Craft Beer Cellar will offer a wide selection of brews, both on draught and to be taken home in bottles or growlers. In addition to a new bar, which will look out onto Gaston, there will be an extensive refrigerated section offering beers from around the world. They hope to also add beer education classes, but first they need to secure their liquor license, Nauman says.
“I’ve heard that usually takes a full 45 days,” he adds. “And then we’ll be ready to open.”
