The former site of YQR Distillery in the REAL District is getting a multi-million-dollar upgrade with the promise of becoming a cultural centre in the heart of Regina. Shaun Semple, owner of the Brandt group of companies, provided details surrounding the project, dubbed Queen City Distillers, during an announcement on Wednesday. The new venue, located at the former Agribition Building, will include a 7,200 square foot drive-thru equipped wine, beer and liquor store, a “one of a kind” sports bar with capacity for 250 people, a 46-person wine and premium spirits bar, a 264-person restaurant, a 145-person speakeasy-style lounge and a multi-level music venue with capacity for 1,490 people. The complex is set to feature a total of three stages and is “envisioned to be the go-to destination for local up and comers and touring acts alike,” according to a news release. “Regina is long overdue for an exciting complex like this that can serve as a hub no matter who you are, what you drink or what kind of music you listen to,” Semple said in his remarks. “I wanted to create a place that celebrates community, connection, and craft – where people can gather, enjoy their best drinks, food, and where artists from around the world dream of performing.” “Regina deserves this.” “Why can’t we see the best musicians? Why can’t we be that touring spot where they stop playing first and maybe become loyal to, and maybe we get them back once they hit the big time.” Two designers will assist in the project, namely Jim and Michael of Cafarelli Concepts and Maxie Pennington of DesignAgency. Cafarelli has been responsible for numerous designs, including the first ever House of Blues and a hospitality space underneath Chelsea Football Club’s Stamford Bridge Stadium called “Under the Bridge.” Jim joked that one of the main reasons he agreed to help with the project was that the Semple family owns the Regina Red Sox and Regina Pats, and his wife, who is from Boston, is a huge Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots fan. “I was on a Zoom call the other day and someone referenced this is a mega project for Regina. I interrupted and I said this is a mega project no matter where you put it, you put this in Toronto, you put this in New York City, this is a big project,” he said. Interior design will be led by Toronto-based DesignAgency, which has been responsible for designs like Chop Steakhouse, the Ritz-Carlton in Miami and three new clubs in development with Live Nation in collaboration with Drake. “By studying what are the roots and the culture and the beauty of Regina that we can celebrate in each space, curating those spaces to make it a pride of the city,” said DesignAgency’s Maxie Pennington. The project is expected to cost north of $20 million and will create more than 150 new jobs, according to Semple. The team involved with the project said they want to hire as many locals for the operations of the venue as possible. “We want locals. If you left this area because you thought you had to move to a bigger city, it’s time to come home. This thing is going to be here for the long term, it’s going to have the best technology to rival any venue in the world, and you’re going to have a family team here that’s going to continually invest in this staff and in this facility,” Michael Cafarelli said. According to the news release, more details will be provided in the coming weeks and months and will include the names of each of the venues, design renderings and new websites.
