Bay City Brewing Co., a Mindgruve client, recently built its second location into the agency’s headquarters in downtown San Diego’s East Village. In addition to a tasting room and restaurant on the ground floor, the fully renovated historic building now features a rooftop bar with more than 4,700 square feet of indoor-outdoor space, fire pits, a video wall and downtown views.
Operating from the second and third floors, the agency had a unique perspective on the progress of construction and identified opportunities to do even more for its client-turned-tenant. “Every wall was a blank canvas,” said Chad Robley, CEO of Mindgruve. “In addition to the long list of amenities, we believed art installations of some kind could invigorate the physical space, customer experience and, as a result, the Bay City Brewing Co. brand.”
After some initial exploration the agency reached out to Christopher Konecki, a San Diego-based artist who is well known for large-scale aerosol murals, fine artwork such as paintings and miniature sculptures as well as various public and private installations. Konecki’s partnership with Mindgruve can be traced back to a one-night, pop-up exhibition held at the agency’s headquarters months prior to the renovation. He was one of 40 artists who were assigned spaces within the building to do with as they pleased.
Beyond his skills as an artist, which were displayed again at the exhibition, Konecki’s local ties and his familiarity with the space made him an ideal candidate to collaborate with. The agency commissioned him to put the final touches on the Bay City Brewing Co. rooftop.
“The mural turned out better than anyone expected,” added Robley. “It defines the space and positively reflects the Bay City Brewing Co. brand. This is just another example of how thoughtful pieces of art, and a talented group of people, can have a profound impact on both a business and the community it operates in.”
