New businesses are coming to Lodi and existing merchants planning to expand

Several new businesses may soon be able to begin construction in Downtown Lodi, and a couple of existing downtown businesses may soon be able to start work on major expansion projects.

“2019 is going to be a busy year in Lodi,” Craig Hoffman, senior planner for the City of Lodi, said. “There’s going to be a lot of construction.”

Hoffman said on Thursday that Dancing Fox Winery and Brewery should soon receive approval on their plans for a two-story building that would replace the parking lot next to the restaurant on the south end of South School Street.

The new building would feature a courtyard, outside bar, distillery, brewery, seating, a mezzanine storage area and private office spaces.

Dancing Fox owner Gregg Lewis said they have almost finished selecting a contractor and hope to begin construction in early 2019, although construction could take up to a year and a half.

“We’re looking forward to getting this thing underway,” Lewis said.

Lodi Beer Company has already begun construction for their own expansion, Hoffman said, renovating the adjacent space formerly occupied by Textures Salon to be used for fermentation vessels, a new host and hostess stand, a small retail area, extended patio seating and more indoor seating.

Lodi Beer also plans to make facade improvements for the corner of School Street and Oak Street, and create a new entrance on Oak Street.

Lodi may also see a new bowling alley in the near future.

Owner Joseph Haddad expects construction for Kingpin Bowling to begin within a week, although he said it might be as long as a year and a half before the 35-lane bowling alley opens its doors in Lodi.

“We’re just waiting for the city to give us our permits,” Haddad said

Civil engineer Chris Faszer said on Thursday that the plan was submitted for a second review early this week, and that the review will be completed within 10 business days of the submission date.

“Probably by Monday or Tuesday the week after next,” Faszer said.

The two-story, 42,650-square-foot bowling alley will feature a 1,240-square-foot kitchen, a 2,200-square-foot restaurant with outside seating and a bar area on the bottom floor, and private bowling facilities, restrooms and banquet rooms on the second floor.

The facility will take up the 300 block of North Sacramento Street, and include 79 on-site parking spaces and 67 spaces located on Sacramento Street.

“I think it’s going to be a really nice thing for Lodi,” Haddad said.

Brick House, an Italian-American restaurant based in Elk Grove, will likely open a second location on the northeast corner of School Street and Elm Street, Hoffman said, as the restaurant’s building permit has gone through final approval and construction should begin soon.

“That’s a business that I would expect is probably going to open in the next 90 days.

Faszer said the building will need some cosmetic improvements, although he is excited for the restaurant to come to Lodi.

“It’s nice because they’re already an established business in Elk Grove and they’ve been doing it right for some time now,” Faszer said.

The Stockton-based Papavalo’s restaurant has already been through the approval process for their plans to build a 5,000-square-foot restaurant and 4,100-square-foot retail center, Faszer said, and is currently reviewing their plan before they begin construction at the corner of School Street and Lockeford Street.

“All of their planning approvals are in place,” Hoffman said. “That may be a project where they try to start construction this year.”