An Alternate Ending for a Local Landmark

By: Cathy Padilla | January 29, 2021 |  Dining , Meet Your Neighbor |  Colts Neck , Fair Haven , Holmdel , Lincroft , Little Silver , Locust , Red Bank , Rumson , Sea Bright

Meet Your Neighbor: Scott Novick

What many of us considered an aging location that held great memories, Scott Novick saw as an opportunity. Alternate Ending Beer Co. (AE) opened its doors in October in what once was the movie theater in Aberdeen, honoring both childhood memories and a forward-thinking business model. The brewpub is unique to our area, offering in-house brewed selections and food by the owners of Talula’s in Asbury Park. Scott managed to keep part of the movie theater experience alive with a renovated screening room and special brews that often give a nod to some of his favorite actors. Chuckle Heads, available this month, honors Kevin Smith and Jay Mewes as the stars of the month at AE. Living in Colts Neck with his wife, Jen, his daughter, Nora, his son, Carter, two dogs, two barn cats, and 12 alpacas, meet your neighbor Scott Novick.
 

CM: What is the mission of your company?
Scott: To make thoughtful beer and food with the highest standard of service in a unique, yet casual, setting that feels both modern and nostalgic.

CM: What made you choose a brewpub?
Scott: First and foremost, I’m passionate about brewing and drinking beer. Second to that, I chose the brewpub model over a production brewery because there are not many brew pubs compared to regular breweries in NJ. I knew if we could make incredible beer and partner with a well-established restaurant that shared likeminded standards of quality and community, we could really set ourselves apart not only in NJ, but the entire country.

CM: Are you the only owner?
Scott: I have eight family and close-friend investors: my right-hand CFO Jenn Perler, left-hand head of Creative Alexis Castellano, and restaurant partners Steve and Shanti Mignogna of Talula’s.

CM: Why did you choose the movie theater?
Scott: The movie theater really chose me. It fell into my lap, and the location, space, and potential were too great not to jump on. It’s special to me because the people who live in Aberdeen and the surrounding communities have so many memories here, from their very first movie in a theater (which is my memory), to a first date, to a first kiss, and so on. Even though the space is completely renovated and being used for a different purpose, those memories are still alive and well.

CM: What sets you apart from others doing what you do?
Scott: I think the totality of the five areas of our business. 1. The quality of our beer, which our head brewer Brendan Arnold and Assistant Brewer Steve Grodinsky hold to the highest standards. 2. The unbelievable food we have been creating in the kitchen, which has been developed by one of the finest restaurants in all of NJ and executed by our exceptional Head Chef Kate Gagliardi. 3. The level of service our team, led by Anthony Celis and Sarah Giordano, gives on a nightly basis. 4. The incredible space that Krissy Skuback Interiors of Asbury Park has designed for us. And 5. Investing in the brand from the very beginning with the help of talented designer John Turner of BoyBurnsBarn. If you bring all of that together, we have something special that just about everyone can enjoy. Our customers come to AE for the total experience.

CM: What is the most rewarding part of your career?
Scott: Watching our customers enjoy their beer and food, and occasionally overhearing them use profanities (in a good way!) to describe our space.

CM: What comes next?
Scott: Right now, I just want to get through COVID.  And even though I sometimes joke saying I’ll never do this again, I have another idea for Aberdeen…

CM: What is the most challenging part of what you do?
Scott: Finding a balance between being inside the brewery (production area) as often as possible and staying for dinner service. But more importantly, trying to be a good husband and father while dealing with an incredible amount of stress, fatigue, and responsibility.

CM: Your best life or business tip to share?
Scott: If you have a good idea, believe in yourself but be patient, calculated, and surround yourself with great people. I certainly couldn’t have done this alone. Surrounding myself with honest and smart people was the only way this could have happened.

CM: Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?
Scott: I love quotes, so it changes often, but right now knowing I have to make hard decisions that potentially hurt our bottom line, I always go back to “Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”

CM: Who has most influenced your career or life?
Scott: My mom, Diane. She was basically a single mom during what should have been the greatest years of her life. Under difficult circumstances she still taught me to be honest and caring, which I will hopefully pass on to my kids as two of the greatest attributes one can have. She was fortunate enough to marry a great man, who also had a remarkable influence on my life.

CM: What do you do when you’re not working?
Scott: I think about work. Sorta kidding. We just built a house with a farm where we are raising alpacas and will soon farm enough land to hopefully supply the brewpub with produce and fruit for brewing. I try to be with my wife and children as often as I can when I’m not working.

CM: Why did you decide to honor Kevin Smith and Jay Mewes with one of your brews?
Scott: To paraphrase Brodie, I can say about a million things, but I can’t express myself monosyllabically enough to fit within my allotted time. The beer is a double IPA that always has two hops and evolves every time we brew it by changing the two hops we use. The can is one of our first “What If” scenarios, which is What If Jay and Silent Bob were really Cheech and Chong? Putting aside the obvious reason they can be synonymous, the main factor is they are iconic duos of brothers who aren’t really brothers. Both pairs only function properly when together, which is pretty special. Personally, I have a great memory of meeting Kevin and Jay in the late 90s. Jay had a broken foot and we spoke on a bench for a minute, but Kevin signed my Mall Rats poster of them with an arrow to his stick figure saying. “I look fatter in real life.”  I still laugh seeing it, and now I realize it must be hung somewhere in AE.
 

See this story in print!

Colts Neck – Holmdel – Lincroft Edition – view here.

Rumson – Fair Haven – Little Silver – Red Bank – Locust – Sea Bright Edition  – view here.