CENTRAL POINT — An old brick building that supplied residents with everything from plumbing fixtures to fishing gear for most of a century will soon offer fine dining and ice cold brews.

Drifters, a new restaurant planned for the historic Kurth & Miller building at 311 Pine St. — the former home of Brown’s Hardware — will capitalize on major restoration efforts to the 1880s store-front and revitalization in the downtown area.

Planned for a spring opening, the new eatery will offer a casual atmosphere and fine foods for residents and visitors "just drifting through town," said 26-year-old chef Justin Robeson.

Having spent much of his life in Central Point, Robeson said he always dreamed of opening a restaurant in his hometown. The Crater High graduate left the Rogue Valley 10 years ago to attend Oregon State University in Corvallis. Having always loved cooking, he eventually made his way to Montana, where he spent the latter half of the past decade honing his cooking abilities at a nationally rated guest ranch near Missoula.

In recent months, a visit home paired Robeson with his partner in the business, local developer Tommy Malot, who purchased the old building this winter in hopes of returning it to its former glory.

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"I always loved Brown’s Hardware," said Robeson.

"I used to get my fishing license there when I was a kid. I remember the old desk and the wood floors, just the feel of the old place. It was just a great old building. This was the perfect opportunity for me."

Robeson said Drifters will feature foods he tends to consider "contemporary French with an Italian influence and a Northwestern flair;" meaning food made with locally and regionally produced ingredients.

"People love restaurants that do that," he said. "And I’m cooking for the people. I’m cooking what they want.

"I want Drifters to be a place for casual dining, where you can enjoy your meal, with the same quality of food you would get at a fine restaurant."

Drifters will hire about 20 employees and serve lunch and dinner in addition to offering a full-service bar and, eventually, banquet facilities.

Malot, who initially planned to create office space in the old building, said the restaurant would complement revitalization efforts downtown and create more local dining choices.

With construction of a 5,900-seat amphitheater at the nearby Jackson County Expo and recent openings of other restaurants, Malot said downtown could become a true destination.

"The city has gone out of their way to make it appealing for businesses to move in. I feel that, with us going in, Antonio’s next door, Mellelo’s moving into the old fire station ... that this will really enhance the old downtown and create kind of a destination-type place," said Malot. "Central Point is the center of the valley. I was born and raised here and it’s nice to have a place we can call home and will be really nice to be able to have all the amenities right here in our town.

"It’s going to be nice to finally have places to go out to eat without driving to Medford."

Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at buffypollock@juno.com