Business Feature: Roosevelt Brewing brings beer, food to Portales

A recently opened city microbrewery has injected a new flavor and livelihood to the downtown area.

Clovis native and beer enthusiast Justin Cole, owner of Roosevelt Brewing, said his first week opening his microbrewery and restaurant surpassed his expectations.

"It's been very good," Cole said. "We've been full pretty much during business hours. Most people seem to be very thankful and appreciative of our business."

Cole's love for crafting beer inspired his desire to bring this new venue to the area, excited to offer craft beer and artisan food.

The beginnings of the brewery date back to March 2010 and now Cole is finally seeing his work come to fruition.

"It's a central point for craft beer culture," said Cole about his establishment.

Cole is also excited that he can pump new life and culture to Portales' downtown area.

"I've lived in this building for six months and Portales' Main (Avenue) after 5 p.m. was deserted," Cole said.

Christina Calloway: Portales News-Tribune

Roosevelt Brewing's chef Tyne Sansom checks on cheesy bread in the wood fire oven. Sansom's passion is to pair the restaurant's beer with his food.

Cole sees his business as also helping out the local economy whether it's using cheese from local dairies on his pizzas or the 27 jobs he's created by opening his brewery.

Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation Director Doug Redmond agrees the opening of Cole's brewery is beneficial to the area's economy.

Redmond said there are a lot of people coming from Clovis and Cannon Air Force Base to enjoy Roosevelt Brewing, bringing in dollars that were previously being spent elsewhere.

"It's nice to be importing people to town," Redmond said.

In addition to creating new jobs, Redmond added that Cole's success going forward can attract other businesses to the downtown area.

"You can't have a vibrant economy without a vibrant downtown," Redmond said.

Portales MainStreet Program Manager Sandy Van Der Veen is also excited about Cole's new business because she feels with Cole's later hours, it may encourage area businesses to extend their hours.

"With more traffic being there, retailers will consider being open later," Van Der Veen said.

Christina Calloway: Portales News-Tribune

Brandon Von Dell of Clovis serves homemade beer to a patron Tuesday at Roosevelt Brewing on Main Avenue.

Tyne Sansom moved to Portales from Vermont while his wife attends Eastern New Mexico University.

Sansom has found a home at Roosevelt Brewing as one of their chefs.

"These kind of restaurants are all over the northeast," Sansom said. "I like working here and being around beer because I'm a home brewer and I know how to make food to go with it."

Sansom said everything in his kitchen is made from scratch. His favorite thing to eat is his pepperoni pizza.

"I want customers to feel relaxed and comfortable with my comfort food," Sansom said. "At the end of the day, it's about pairing good food and good beer together."