Tony Yanow Just Took Over a Huge Chunk of Downtown LA’s Bar Scene

Tony Yanow is absolutely unstoppable right now. Not only is the man — as part of a larger group known simply as the Artisanal Brewers Collective — dropping restaurant/bar spaces in the Valley, Westwood, and West Adams, he also just completed a transaction that will make him one of the de facto leaders of Downtown’s entire bar movement.

Eater has confirmed that the Artisanal Brewers Collective just plunked down an undisclosed amount of cash for four popular bar spaces: Library Bar, Spring Street Bar, Sixth Street Tavern, and Beelman’s Pub.

For a long time, ACME Hospitality Group has been in charge of those properties, but will be moving out of the way for the new ABC team to take over. The Collective’s Chief Operating Officer, one Danny Popielinski, confirms that for the time being all four properties will continue to operate as usual, so guests will likely not experience any hiccups at the moment.

Down the line though, look for an even stronger craft beer influence at each property, along with the introduction of more vegan and meat-free dining options. That’s in line with Yanow’s own personal ethos, with both his other restaurants Mohawk Bend and Tony’s Darts Away carrying extensive vegan menus. It’s all good news for craft beer fans in Downtown, though these guys will certainly have some competition now that Mikkeller Bar is up and running.

• Big New Craft Beer Restaurant Comes to White-Hot West Adams [ELA]