culture
“I was originally just going to curate a playlist for the night but I think having actual turntables and records brings a nostalgic element to the table that people really dig,” Melgoza wrote in an email. “I just wanted to play what I think is good music. Music that I would want to hear if I was having a beer… with friends.” It comes as no surprise that Melgoza has maintained close ties professionally and personally with Garcia and the rest of the Homage family. He too shares a passion for what Homage strives to attract and support as a business. “It’s…a great venue to display all this [art] in my opinion,” Melgoza wrote. “Matt…and I are hugely into craft beer, design, photography, etc., so the idea to add music to the equation was simple.” Homage has been open for 3 months and Garcia attributes the brewery’s new found success to social media where he promoted the company months before opening its doors to the public.
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LOGOS | NOV 2016
He had the idea of being a storefront brewery to create a foundation for his company as he looks to expand Homage Brewing into a larger business. Garcia was originally looking into opening a brewery in Downtown Los Angeles where the city is densely populated with craft beer connoisseurs. “After looking at a few locations, it didn’t feel right,” Garcia said. “It wasn’t until I looked at this location in Pomona that I got that feeling.” Garcia’s goal with the brand of the brewery is to bring Downtown Los Angeles culture to Pomona, an atmosphere not all of the locals have access to. He hopes to inspire other entrepreneurs to bring their businesses to the growing Downtown Pomona area. “Our location is small and intimate, so this allows me to make a connection with the people coming in, and show my passion and care for what I do,” Garcia said. L