Young Veterans Brewing Co. hopes to win approval for expanding by 4,000 square feet.
The City’s Planning Commission will vote today on whether to recommend the expansion to City Council. The brewing company, located at 2505 Horse Pasture Rd., opened in 2013. Because only 10 percent of the gross floor area is permitted for retail use under current zoning requirements, the expansion requires City Council approval.
“For us, the answer is simple,” the brewery’s website says. “We love beer. We love to brew it; we love to drink it, we love to teach others about it.”
Young Veterans could not be reached for comment before deadline.
Young Veterans currently occupies 2,000 square feet of warehouse space, according to a report by city staff. The expansion would use an additional 4,000 square feet, including a 750 square-foot tasting room, a 400 square-foot cooler and a 352 square-foot copper art workshop. Office, manufacturing and storage space would also be added, as well as an outdoor seating area.
Another craft brewery in the City viewed the expansion request as a bellwether.
“I think it’s a sign of the health of the industry,” Justin MacDonald, owner of Reaver Beach Brewing Co., said in a phone interview. “More people are becoming aware of craft beer, and the fact that another brewery in the area is doing well is only a positive sign for the rest of us.”
The co-founder of Young Veterans, Thomas Wilder, served four years in the Army National Guard as a combat engineer/equipment operator, according to the brewery’s website. Neil McCanon, another co-founder, served three years in the U.S. Army with the 1st Infantry Division and seven years as a drill sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves.
The proposed hours of operation are from 3-8 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 3-11 p.m. on Friday and noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday.
