West Vancouverites will have a new place to gather and let a little loose this summer, right on the Ambleside waterfront.
This Friday at 3 p.m., Batch will open its new location for the first time, behind the Ferry Building Gallery and next to Ambleside Pier.
The outdoor pop up will serve adult beverages – including beer from local breweries – and eats from a rotating food vendor.
Families are welcome to bring their kids to the pop up, which is also dog friendly.
The business will be open 3 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with live acoustic music at 6 p.m. each night.
The cordoned off lounge area will be filled with casual seating options and customers will order at the counter, similar to existing Batch locations in Kitsilano and the Plaza of Nations in downtown Vancouver.
People in the Ambleside community have been calling for something just like this, said Maureen O’Brien, executive director of the Ambleside and Dundrave Business Improvement Association.
“A survey that we did had 76 per cent … saying they would like a brewery or taproom in Ambleside, and that they want more activation on the water,” she said. “Someplace to just stop and have beer, something that brings some energy to Ambleside, something that’s a bit more youthful.”
Batch is currently booked for an eight-week pilot wrapping up on the Sept. 12 weekend, but that could be extended if things go well, O’Brien said.
“If it works, great, we can continue to do these kinds of things. And if it didn’t, well, no harm in trying,” she said. “It’s what people have been asking for. I mean, we have such beautiful, beautiful waterfront, and it’s just so underutilized.”
Hockey player turns business owner
The new location is a full-circle moment for Batch founder John Negrin, who grew up in West Vancouver.
Negrin, a former professional hockey player, was selected by the Calgary Flames in the 2007 NHL Draft, but spent most of his career playing in the American Hockey League.
Since retiring from pro hockey in 2020, he’s been involved with several businesses. He founded the first Batch location in August 2022 in the Plaza of Nations, and opened the second Kits location in June 2024.
So far, Batch has been a hit.
“It’s going well,” he said. “It’s just about creating a good space. At both locations that we have, there’s a good energy. So we tend to be busy.”
There’s live music and it’s free to enter, Negrin said.
“So a lot of people just love coming out and catching some local artists,” he said.
And he keeps all the product selection local to B.C.
“We want to try to create a place where local brands can have some exposure, and people can try some of the different beers from the breweries,” Negrin said.
While the 36 year old has spent most of his adult life on the ice, being a business owner is more his speed, he said.
“It took time to get here, but I feel like it’s a really nice place to be,” Negrin said.
“I’m excited to be back in West Vancouver. It’s nice to actually just be spending time here. It’s beautiful,” he said.
Negrin added that he’s grateful to the district for stepping outside the box and allowing the pilot.
“I’m looking forward to continuing this partnership and making something that’s memorable for everybody,” he said.
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