Ava Rakowski Lokal Brewing Co., located at 2257 Bridge Avenue in Point Pleasant, opened in October 2025 and has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. The welcoming vibes – including children and dogs – plus great beer make it an easy pick. Owners, husband and wife Nick and Liz Kolb, created the brewery as a place for friends to gather. Read on for more about why Point Pleasant locals love Lokal Brewing Co.
How Lokal Brewing Co. Got Started
“Beer brings people together. It’s social. It’s fun. This place is kid-friendly and dog-friendly. Strangers walk in. Friends walk in. It kind of anchored everything together,” says co-owner Liz Kolb. Brewer and co-owner Nick Kolb is a native of Wall, NJ, and he met wife Liz, a native of Long Island, while they were both coaches at Stony Brook University in Long Island. “Nick was a Strength and Conditioning Coach, and I coached the women’s lacrosse team,” Liz said. After the birth of their first child in 2017, they decided to move to the shore to raise their family.
The birth of their second child happened just before the pandemic, and the time spent in lockdown with two very small children made them realize the value of community. Meanwhile, in the background, Nick had been home-brewing beer for several years. He had worked at other local breweries, so when an opportunity presented itself to take over a Point Pleasant brewery, it was meant to be. This industry knowledge, combined with Liz’s understanding of business and finance, made them the perfect duo for this project.
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The brewery had a soft opening in September of 2025. The team decided to begin slowly with a Sunday pop-up, announcing it only on the day that it happened. Even with this casual announcement, they had a packed brewery and sold about 400 pints of the only two beers they had to offer at the time. This positive feedback from the community pleasantly surprised Nick and Liz, allowing them to get to know people who would soon become regulars.
A Kid-Friendly +Dog-Friendly Brewery That Still Feels Relaxing
This brewery is inclusive to families and dog owners. Even if some places are “kid-friendly” or welcome dogs, it may not be a place where adults can still relax. When designing main seating areas, Nick took specific care to ensure that the layout and seating options for the space were oriented to small groups who wanted to congregate. When asked about why this was such an integral part of their business, Liz stated, “We have a dog, and we have kids. We know what it’s like…It’s just about mutual respect. We want this place to be somewhere where people feel welcome and people feel at home. The kids’ coloring pages affixed to the walls and the easy-going attitude of the adults in the room are a testament to the vibe Nick and Liz intended to set.
The mutual respect is clearly felt in this space, among patrons and between owners and their staff. The couple spoke so highly of their team members who joined Lokal within their first few months. The duo assumed they might be doing the work on their own for a while, but were warmed by the outpouring of interest they received when they first began hiring new people. Nick and Liz glowed about the enthusiasm, professionalism, knowledge, and joy their team brings to everything they do.
Why the Cozy Indoor Vibes Work Year-Round
Many would assume that opening a new business after the busy season of summer would be very difficult for a brewery down the shore, but the owners were very pleased by the turnout during the calm months. After a strong soft opening, they got to enjoy serving many new customers during the local summer. Unlike many other establishments in the area, this space does not include any outdoor seating. While many may think of this as a setback in a shore town, the cozy vibes of this brewery last year round. “It doesn’t really matter the weather outside because when you come in here, you’re not out there. That’s kind of what we’re hoping for. You kind of feel like you’re in a home away from home,” says Liz. Come rain or shine, the doors are open for anyone who wants to relax and unwind with a quality beer.
What’s Next for Lokal Brewing Co. in 2026
Though these last few months have been an immensely rewarding experience, both Nick and Liz emphasized the amount of work and commitment that comes with running a brewery. “I had an idea of what it took… but it really is 24/7. In a great way, it’s more work than any job I’ve ever done, but it’s ours. It’s a labor of love,” says Nick. They look forward to the busy season this summer.
The couple has big plans for the rest of 2026, specifically about ways to increase their production and deliver more of their product to more people in the community. One of their big challenges is navigating storage space while having all of the brewing equipment on site. Eventually, we will see Lokal Brewing on shelves in stores and on bar and restaurant menus in the area. Currently, the brewery does not sell food other than packaged snacks, but guests are encouraged to bring their own food, including takeout from other local restaurants. There are regular events with food trucks on site, and the brewery can host private events.
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The changes they are implementing during the slower months will allow them to increase the quantity of their product as well. In addition to this increase in production, their collaborations with local artists and independent businesses continue to deepen their roots in this community. With a lineup of outstanding live music and many pop-up events already on the books, this space will continue to be a meeting place for so many community members in the coming months. Everyone knows that home is where the heart is. Liz and Nick have so clearly put their heart into this business and made it a home for so many in their community. The central location and relaxed vibe have made so many community members feel welcomed with open arms.
Lokal Brewing is open Wednesday–Thursday from 4PM–9PM,; Friday from 2PM–9PM, Saturday from 12PM–9PM, and Sunday from 12PM–7PM, and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Follow along on the brewery’s social media here.
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