Trouble! In Butterfly City

The Music Man

As the town becomes less of a residential town and more of a “destination”. But it’s never like a business applies for a permit to serve alcohol and play loud live music and expand to the sidewalk and street. It’s always a foot in the door then a gradual change.

Hops and Fog Brewing Co. owner Mike Durrant is part of downtown Pacific Grove’s nighttime renaissance from a sleepy business district to a place where music flows regularly from small bands or DJs. It’s attracting new patrons—and their wallets— to the city.

“We’re changing. The town is coming to life for the first time ever,” Durrant says, adding that the music is drawing people from all over the county looking for entertainment.

While Durrant has good relationships with nearby Hops and Fog neighbors, other business owners he partners with for events have struggled with noise complaints. In the last six months there have been at least 12 code enforcement complaints related to downtown music, according to P.G. City Manager Matt Mogensen.

Trouble! In Butterfly City