Near and Far Brewing proposes Cottage Grove brewpub with event space and dog area

Entrepreneurs behind Near and Far Brewing presented a concept Nov. 17 for a brewpub on Cottage Grove Road that would combine a brew operation, full-service food and a community-oriented event space.

Melissa Ratcliffe, who said she was speaking "in my private capacity as a business owner," described the concept as a neighborhood-friendly brewpub with an event room and a dog area adjacent to the bike path. "Our vision is that it would be a community space," Ratcliffe said. Partners said the restaurant area would seat about 75 people, the patio about 75, and the event space 80 to 100. Brewer Garrett Shaw said the plan envisions about 12 taps, including rotating guest taps.

Design and contractor teams walked trustees through a concept site plan showing the building on the road edge, a patio overlooking a stormwater pond, bike-rack access, and a tenant space of roughly 1,500 to 2,500 square feet. Staff and trustees asked for more detail on parking, pedestrian/bike routing to avoid the parking lot, driveway alignment and restroom capacity for the event space; applicants said they would pursue a site-plan and conditional-use permit (CUP) and hope to appear before the planning commission in early spring.

Trustees generally reacted positively to the concept as an underused corridor redevelopment that could support walkable neighborhood destinations, though they requested further detail on circulation and how the proposal ties into the village's gateway corridor objectives. The applicants said they hope to break ground in spring and, if all goes according to plan, aim to open later in the year.