Oak Park Brewing Company/Hamburger Mary’s plans to open shop at 1111-1113 South Blvd. in the Pleasant District, according to documents provided to village hall.
Trustees were poised to approve a liquor license for the establishment at Monday’s meeting a Village Hall meeting, which was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Oak Park Development Corp. President Sara Faust said in a telephone interview that the businesses have completed all regulatory requirements needed to begin work on the building, which currently is used as office space. All that remains is approval of the liquor license, which is contingent on the company taking possession of the building, which currently is being used for office space.
Faust said the project would require a substantial renovation of the building. Representatives of the joint venture have said at various village board meetings that they hope to open in the second or third quarter of 2014, but it is still uncertain when the project will be complete.
She said approval of the liquor license is a “little hurdle, but we’re moving in the right direction. It’s not done until it’s done, but we are very optimistic and getting closer all the time.”
The dual establishment will feature Hamburger Mary’s on one side of the building and the brewery on the other side, co-owners of the Chicago Hamburger Mary’s franchise told the Oak Park Liquor Control Review Board in September, according to meeting minutes. The brewery will have a sports bar theme and the restaurant will feature two to four drag shows a month and occasional charity events. Co-owners Ashley and Brandon Wright told the liquor control board in September that the drag shows would be “G-rated,” according to meeting minutes.
The two businesses will seat an estimated 150 to 200 people and might include an event space on the second level.
Both businesses will offer the same menu.
The brewery will also offer packaged beer sales and provide site-brewed beer to other local establishments, according to meeting minutes. Owners told the board in September that the brewery is looking to brew 1,000 barrels a year at the location and possibly up to 2,000 more for distribution. Faust said at the September meeting the joint venture is looking to invest over $1 million in the project.
The business will not reach the state volume limit of 7,000 barrels annually because the brewery’s system is not able to produce more than 4,000 barrels per year, according to the minutes.
The brewery and hamburger restaurant are expected to hire a combined 50 employees.
Simone Boutet, who served as acting village attorney in September, told the liquor control board that issuance of the liquor license “shouldn’t be problematic” because of support in the village for establishing the brew pub.