The brew pub craze may be about to strike again in Evanston. City officials are reviewing plans to locate one at 1801 Central St.
Tom Gariti, who has worked at restaurants in Wilmette, says he and his partner Doug Stoffer, who formerly worked at Urban Legend Brewing in Westmont, hope to open what they’re calling Central Street Brewing Company in a year or so, assuming city officials approve plans for the project.
Gariti says they plan to offer high end bar food along with the beer they’ll brew on site in what until a few years ago was a transmission repair shop.
Community Development Director Mark Muenzer said Gariti filed a request for a zoning analysis of the proposed use earlier this month.
If the project is deemed to be a dine-in restaurant with the brewery as an ancillary operation, Muenzer said, it would not require a special use permit from the city.
Muenzer says the plans show seating for about 100 people toward the front of the building with a bar facing the brewing tanks that would be located toward the rear.
The stretch of Central Street just east of the Metra tracks has seen considerable development recently
The 1801 building is just a few doors away from the planned new home for the Evanston Art Center.
The Ten Mile House restaurant opened last month on the other end of the block at 1700 Central in the recently opened Central Station apartment complex.
Evanston gained its first two brew pubs this year, with Smylie Bros. opening on Oak Avenue downtown last June and Peckish Pig opening last March on Howard Street.
The city has also recently gained a craft brewery, Temperance Beer Company, on Dempster Street, and a nano-brewery Sketchbook Brewing Company, on Chicago Avenue.
If no city funds are used here – I will be a customer
If this doesn't need any of our money – I will be a customer, and gladly support it over the PIG on Howard Street. Then again Wally may just build them a Patio?
Can you say bubble?
Can you say bubble? Way too many breweries popping up in Evanston.
Why city loans to businesses are a problem
Current we do not see any city loans going to this business on Central Street, which appears to be a good thing although time will tell.
It appears Chicken and Waffles is now over $13,293 behind on its loan, that had payments of $1404 a month. What is Wally going to do? Are they going to shut this business down to collect the debt?
The PIg Patio has only paid about $4000 on the cost to build the patio which was underestimated at about $18,500. When will this deal be paid off?
Next Theater went bankrupt and now the city holds the $75,000 note for the two years of back rent, which is unclear if they every even signed the agreement. In looking at the city weekly report it appears they may still be looking at a Theater on Howard street!
Get the feeling Wally enjoys cutting stupid little deals, and not running the business of the city. We now own a coffee shop on Howard st, we are going to be getting 10% of the gross as part of the deal, Wally explain to us why we want to be in the coffee business?
Coffee shop woke up
You may be happy to hear that the owner of the coffee shop– who is a smart guy and a good business owner– pulled out of the deal to lease the City-owned space on Howard. He'll do fine elsewhere, and now we as Evanstonians can guiltlessly continue to support his non-city-funded already established businesses in town.
Why not name it U.S. Cellular Ale Co.?
PLEASE think up a better name!!! "Central Street Brewing" is disappointing, ordinary, boring. Why give Chicagoans more to scoff at when hearing about Evanston? With the 10,000 other Central Streets in the world, how is the Evanston one going to be differentiated from the Central St. in, say, Maine? Please. I'd choose Cusack Brewing Co. before I'd use Central St. Brewing (eyes rolling). Case in point: been to Sketchbook (nice people, good beer) but the name is lame. Been to Smylie (I've drank better) but the name? Come on people – let Crook County know we rule! Robin Williams character in Dead Poet's Society said, "Don't let your brewery be ordinary." Designed more to provoke thought in your heads, some quick suggestions: Evanston Brewing Co. (do it before it happens in Wyoming), Purple_Line, 869, Gross Point, Rinn Suds Factory, or hey- how about Ev,IL Brewing? Something catchy. [Or, since you'll likely employ a few, how about "Illegal Immigrant Brewing Co." – heh] Anything's better than boring.