How this venue in The Brookie Trail is championing emerging NSW artists

Over the past few years, Brookvale has begun to redefine itself. What was once an industrial hub and a thoroughfare between Manly and Dee Why, is now firmly cementing itself as its own going-out destination – in large part thanks to the efforts of Brookvale Arts District and The Brookie Trail.

One of the venues at the heart of this transformation is 7th Day Brewery, where surf culture, live music and local community meet. Co-owner and General Manager Joel Ridzuan has played a key role in shaping its direction, and through it, the story of Brookvale’s after-dark revival.

Crowd enjoying The Darrans at 7th Day Brewery

From gaming to gigging: How Joel joined the 7th Day Brewery team

Joel's background spans more than two decades in hospitality, and it was during his time working in a venue with gaming machines that his desire for change in the industry was sparked.

“Pokies make the food and beverage [industry] in NSW lazy, because they can run at a loss in every aspect, but run a pokie business and be profitable overall. I had all of these ideas while I was working [in a previous role] to spice things up a bit, but they were just falling on deaf ears,” Joel explained.

With a background in surfing and skating, Joel wanted to shine a spotlight on those subcultures, which the Northern Beaches is itself known for.

“We're a bunch of surfers and skaters, we're into fashion and music. Why are we so scared to show what we're like? Surfboard manufacturing started in Brookvale, so why don't we lean into that?”

After taking an interview with the owners of 7th Day Brewery, and pitching his vision to them, Joel eventually got the role and began to bring his vision to life.

“We’re getting there. We're slowly building a galleria in here of funny little intricacies, Danish furniture, old magazines, skateboards and surfboards... We’re getting there. It’s an ever-changing story, but the fitout now suits the story we’re trying to tell,” he explained.

“We’re saying who we are and showing some vulnerability, and I think that’s been our strong suit. We’re boldly not middle-of-the-road, and you can really feel the energy coming together as a result. You see it in the people coming to the venue.”

A rising tide lifts all ships: The District model works

7th Day Brewery isn’t the only venue on the Northern Beaches working to reinvent the suburb; it’s situated within The Brookie Trail, an Uptown District comprised of over 10 other businesses – mostly breweries and food venues – which work together to promote the area as a whole.

“A rising tide lifts all ships, to use a really simple analogy. What we're doing now is benefiting the entire precinct. There’s daytime trade starting to pop up, you've got industrial cafés opening up, bicycle shops, thrift stores... The Brookie Trail is elevating the whole suburb, and at the end of the day – that's community. You're passing it on and helping the next person, who helps the next person. That’s how you build a prosperous suburb,” Joel explained.

“The idea is that if we amplify the suburb, it doesn't matter which venue you go to, we'll all prosper. If twice as many people come down to Brookvale on a Saturday, everyone's going to be happy about it.”

Amplifying artists

Part of Joel’s vision for the venue was to turn it into a platform – figuratively and literally – for artists to thrive on the beaches. Thanks to a Live Performance Venue grant, he was able to bring that vision to reality.

“We came up with a bird's eye view of what the venue would look like, and where our stage should be. We wrote up this amazing plan that we never ever thought would come to fruition, and then we got accepted. We couldn’t believe it.”

“We got soundproofing. We spent 15 grand on 2 speakers. We now have our beautiful stage. And it all came from chasing the stars and writing a grant proposal that we never thought we’d get.”

Now, the venue hosts 8 bands a week, and revenue is continuing to climb as a result.

“August [2025] was the best trading month in our history, with a 62% uplift year-on-year. Before that, May was the best.”

For Joel, however, the money is secondary. The real fruit of the labour is watching artists thrive.

“In particular, one band, Ghazza, were recommended to me by a friend in the surf about a year ago,” Joel recounted.

“They had 500 followers at the time we booked them, and they absolutely blew the top off this place. It was incredible. They've now played here 6 or 7 times. They’ve grown to nearly 35,000 Instagram followers. It’s so awesome for us because now we’re a part of their story – we're the guys that took a punt on them.”

The future of 7th Day and The Brookie Trail

Speaking on the future of the District, and 7th Day Brewery, Joel’s message is simple – more, bigger and better.

“We're going to throw parties that break the boundaries of what exists now. We're going to do it safely, we're going to have fun, and we're going to spend lots of money on bands, entertainment, art and PR [public relations]. We’re going to show that there’s more than just gaming in the food and beverage industry, and we hope to open a second venue down the line.”

Part of this goal is already underway, which is the District’s flagship annual event, Brookiefest, now entering its third year. Held over three days in February each year, this all-ages event brings together the area’s breweries, distilleries and eateries for music, skating and an all-round good time.

“We’re coming up with some amazing concepts, like Brookiefest. This is our showroom festival, held on the second weekend in February every year. We’ve done 2, and we’re starting to load up our third one for the 13th, 14th and 15th of February 2026. We're just thinking of extravagant ways to get people off the couch and have a wild day full of memories to take home.”

You can keep up with 7th Day Brewery by following them on Instagram at @7thdaybrewery and see opportunities to collaborate with The Brookie Trail on Neon Marketplace.