Around Rogers Park: Breaking News – New Microbrewery on Howard Being Considered
- Winter, 2019
Howard Theater building
A new microbrewery is being proposed for 1617 W. Howard Street in the Howard Theater building owned by RPBG Director Jay Johnson. The brewery would be known as the Howard Street Brewing Company and would require a special use permit and a tavern license to operate.
The owner of the proposed brewery, Ryan “Chuck” Patella, has an established relationship with The Factory Theater which is currently located adjacent to the proposed brewery location. Mr. Patella believes a new brewery would be a complementary and synergistic use in a building that is emerging as the focal point of the Howard Street commercial district. Sol Café is located on the other side of the brewery space, and already serves as a gathering point for neighborhood locals in the Howard Street vicinity.
Although approval of the new brewery is not guaranteed, there is little doubt that this business would increase the appeal of Howard Street and bring more traffic and commerce to the area. If approved, Howard Street would take another significant step forward in reestablishing itself as a major entertainment district for the Rogers Park community. RPBG strongly supports the approval of the microbrewery on Howard and congratulates Director Jay Johnson for his tireless efforts to revitalize Howard Street and make his property a focal point for this commercial activity.
