MEQUON — The city of Mequon has injected new life throughout its Town Center in recent years, predominantly in the “Foxtown” area just south of Mequon Road.
And that progression will likely continue in the coming months with the addition of two new lively developments.
Mawicke & Gosiman, S.C. for FT 1, LLC. is seeking conditional grant use approval to allow for a 3,500-square-foot distillery at 10090 N. Weston Drive, as well as a 2,700 square-foot nightclub in the adjacent building.
The three-story building, which is home to Trailside Bike Shop and several other commercial spaces on the first floor, also includes offices on the second and extended stay suites on the third.
According to the applicant’s proposal that was presented to plan commissioners Monday night, the distillery would produce a mix of distillers and rectified spirits, including gin, vodka, whiskies such as bourbon and rye, brandy, and liqueurs.
There would be two employees handling the distillery’s functions, with production hours from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Classes, tours, tastings and other events would take place during productions hours and in the evening until midnight Sunday through Thursday and 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
The current floor plan features manufacturing space, a classroom, a tasting room/retail store and an outdoor patio that would be open daily until 11 p.m.
Micro-distilleries, which are establishments that produce less than 10,000 gallons of spirits on site per year, are a conditional use within the Town Center zoning district, the proposal explained. There would be 6,000 gallons of distilled liquor and 4,000 gallons of rectified spirits produced onsite per year.
Though a text amendment will address the issue regarding retail sales and if the city’s current ordinance complies with federal law, the applicant, however, has also requested the addition of a nightclub — in the same building that is currently occupied by a bakery and a butcher shop — to ensure that they will have the ability to sell the distilled spirits manufactured at the distillery.
The nightclub, in conjunction with the proposed distillery, would be open from 11 a.m. until midnight during the week and until 1 a.m. on the weekends, depending on guest volume. There would be a total of 12 staff members during normal business hours and it would use 39 parking spaces out of the site’s 188 surface stalls.
The floor plan reveals a bar with ample seating around the perimeter and a space for a future kitchen, according to the proposal. Access to existing bathrooms will be provided through an existing hallway. The plan also shows an outdoor patio, which, to promote and maintain the vitality of the Town Center area, would also close by 11 p.m.
Staff notes that the Common Council will take action on the proposed text amendment regarding retail sales of alcohol. The council previously approved a text amendment to allow for distilleries as a conditional use in 2021.