San Francisco Chronicle (Sunday)
Mothers inspire snazzy new cocktail bar
April Jean emerges in midcentury revamp of 100-year-old dive bar space in North Beach
A crew of San Francisco bar industry veterans has brought a storied location back to life with a cocktail spot inspired by their mothers.
April Jean opened its doors in late June in North Beach, at 1371 Grant Ave., the longtime home of dive and live music venue Grant & Green Saloon. The new bar keeps the address’ longtime tradition as a bar, which goes back 100 years, with a hip, midcentury look and a concise list of craft cocktails.
The business is the latest from Jamal Blake-Williams and Nate Valentine, best known for their handsome bars Harper & Rye and Peacekeeper, as well as concert venue August Hall. Joining the duo is Joe Poz, the former beverage director at August Hall, who worked with Blake-Williams for 10 years at other bars. The team assembled in 2023 to purchase the space.
April Jean is inspired by the owners’ love and appreciation for their mothers, Valentine said, taking its name from Blake-Williams’ and Poz’s moms, April Jean and Jean, respectively. “My mom might be a bit sad about not being in the name, but I think she will be OK,” Valentine said in jest.
However, Valentine’s mother, Patricia, may take solace in a Pat’s Choice ($13) cocktail. It’s made with rhum agricole, sour lime, condensed milk and a bit of pie crust. It’s one entry in a focused menu featuring matriarchs’ names, developed by Poz, who tapped into memories of his mother’s cooking to develop drinks. The sparkling April Jean ($13) is inspired by lemon bars, and features vodka, spiced citrus oil and amaro. The Bitter Louise ($13) cocktail mixes gin with rhubarb bitters, absinthe and lemon.
A small selection of red, white and sparkling wines is available, along with beer from local craft brewers. Budweiser in cans are also on the menu, in a nod to the location’s long history of dive bars.
In line with Blake-Williams and Valentine’s other bars, April Jean also features eye-catching design. The homage to the owners’ mothers is unmistakable, with photos of them inside. Brittany Busacca, Blake-Williams’ wife, developed the look, taking elements from midcentury modern styles. Architect Nick Polansky and builder Julian Snellgrove installed reclaimed old-growth redwood throughout the bar, from cabinets and drink rails to seating and banquettes, in a nod to San Francisco’s 19th century architecture. The bar top is made from black stone. There are banquettes and nooks around the space for groups to gather and hang out.
“We probably spent too much money on this type of stuff, but we want to have a place that will stand the test of time,” Valentine said.
As part of the revamp, the team went down to the studs, uncovering four layers of walls erected by the past owners during the many iterations of bars at the location. During the buildout, the bar was moved opposite from where it had been for decades. Behind the newly built bar, the team sealed a time capsule with a few bottled drinks, photos of the founders and, of course, a note that documents the owners’ love for their moms.
“We talk about how much our moms mean to us and the inspiration behind the name,” Valentine said. “We hope someone finds it after we’re all long gone.”