Dave Alexander, owner of the Brickskeller, first started working at the famed Dupont Circle bar and restaurant in 1982.
The Brickskeller is truly a family business, isn’t it?
My wife’s grandfather, Felix Coja, started it in 1957. He ran the place with his wife, Marie, and she was the original president of the company, titled Marifex — a combination of Marie and Felix. Now my wife is the president of the company, and I am the vice president. Talk about a matriarchal family! My son Shawn is the general manager of the Brickskeller, and my son Josh is the manager and CEO at RFD restaurant in Chinatown, which is also part of the company.
How did you get the name Brickskeller?
My wife’s grandfather liked the suffix -skeller, from college pubs known as ratskellers, and the prefix comes from the red brick walls of the place.
What makes the Brickskeller unique?
We’re a dying breed. There’s no Wal-Mart of beer out there that’s going to move in and crush us. We’re literally a mom-and-pop organization.
How many beers does the Brickskeller offer? How many have you tried?
We opened with 51 beers in 1957, and now we have about 1,300. I used to taste them all, but now I’m familiar with many of the flavor profiles.
Can you recall any memorable famous visitors?
Jerry Seinfeld came in here once. Pink Floyd came here for four nights in a row during the first tour after Roger Waters left the band. They gave out two tickets to everyone working here — to a sold-out show. They were that huge and famous, but also the nicest guys.
Is Washington a beer city?
The beer market is a specialty market. It is a small segment of the industry, but the only segment that has sustained growth for 34 or 35 years straight. It’s stubbornly growing.
