By Pamela Dozois
Contributing Writer
If you’ve recently had a wistful longing for a hot dog from a sidewalk vendor with a craft beer or a glass of wine from a boutique wine maker, you’re in luck. The Doggy Door and Community Craft Beer and Wine Bar in Los Olivos are prepared to fulfill your yearnings.
The hot dog stand and the beer and wine bar were the inspiration of Andrew and Erin Scherer, who said they saw a need and filled it.
“We had the idea of filling a void we saw in our little community, a place where visitors and locals alike could enjoy both boutique wines and craft beer at the same establishment and also a place where people could access a good, tasty, quick and affordable meal,” Andrew Scherer said.
The Doggie Door is in a tiny historic-looking water tower, formerly the Tiny Tree Boutique, on Alamo Pintado Avenue. It and the building next door became available for lease in 2017 so the Scherers jumped at the chance.
“We really wanted to create an easy, tasty, grab-and-go meal, something that is delicious, fast and affordable, a place where hungry people on the go could grab a bite to eat and get on with their day, running errands, shopping or visiting the town. We wanted to fill a niche,” he added.
There are only four menu selections, each with different flavor profiles: the classic dog; the spicy nacho dog; the pesto dog smothered in arugula; and the Ruben dog with sauerkraut. The hot dogs are made of 100 percent beef, though there is also a vegan dog option.
“We signed the lease in February and took a few months to redesign the interior of the bar and acquire the hot dog cart, which fits perfectly into the space in the tiny water tower with just enough room left over for me to create the hot dogs. People drop by all the time to take pictures … We celebrated our one-year anniversary this past Memorial Day,” he said.
Scherer said their Community Craft and Beer Bar is unique because it is the only establishment in Los Olivos that serves uncommon wine and beer at the same location.
They specialize in local boutique wine producers that don’t have tasting rooms and offer eight different draft beers from craft breweries, always changing them out so customers can try new varieties.
“We want to give all that great wine and beer an outlet. We are hyper-local but have wines from around the world.
“It’s nice to have the food, beer and wine together. It’s a symbiotic relationship. The two establishments complement each other,” he added.
Scherer worked in Monterey at Pebble Beach for five years, studied and became a certified sommelier. He then moved to Beverly Hills but found a more peaceful environment in Los Olivos, where he first worked as the wine director of the Los Olivos Wine Merchant Café. He met Erin and they married two years ago and have a 6-month-old baby girl named Finley. They live in Solvang.
“We are a hands-on couple. We work very hard to curate the store in a way that brings in high quality products for a good value,” said Scherer.
The bar hosts blind tastings on Thursday nights with lectures and discussion and custom wine tastings. It also has a wine club.
The Doggy Door is at 2446 Alamo Pintado Ave., Suite D, inside the water tower. It is open from noon to 5 p.m. daily, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For more information, call 805-686-1158 or visit www.doggydoordogs.com.
For more information on Community Craft Beer and Wine Bar, visit www.communitycraftlo.com or email communitycraftlo@gmail.com. The bar is open from noon to 7 p.m. daily, except for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
