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Third Space Brewing pitches seasonal beer garden at Liberty Heights Park; council questions logistics and city costs
Summary
Third Space Brewing proposed a pop‑up beer garden in Liberty Heights Park Fridays and Saturdays June–August, seeking modest city support (signage, electricity, sanitation), a three‑year commitment and a tiered use fee; council members asked about kitchen access for youth programs, table counts, sanitation staffing and promotional costs.
Andy Gail, co‑founder and president of Third Space Brewing, told the Common Council his company seeks to operate a pop‑up beer garden at Liberty Heights Park on Fridays and Saturdays from June through August for an initial season, serving Third Space beer, rotating local taps, canned wine and ready‑to‑drink cocktails, a non‑alcoholic hemp‑derived delta‑9 product, and inviting food trucks and small acoustic musical acts.
Gail said the proposal is a low‑impact activation that would use the park’s new pavilion and concession window where possible, require minimal power and storage, and rely on a refrigerated trailer for inventory. He asked the city for limited assistance — signage, promotional help, garbage pickup and permission to use the pavilion kitchen without interfering with existing recreation programming — and proposed a tiered use fee with a portion of proceeds directed back to the Liberty Heights neighborhood.
"We're looking for a partner that's excited to have us," Gail said, describing a preference for a three‑year commitment to allow the operation to mature. He said Third Space would donate community spotlight nights to local nonprofits and aim to route fees back to park improvements in the immediate neighborhood.
Council members repeatedly asked how the pavilion kitchen would be shared with existing summer lunch programming; Gail said the brewery would provide secure storage and separate access so other organizations could continue to use the kitchen. Other questions focused on whether the city would need additional DPW cleaning or overtime for bathroom servicing, whether the applicant would ask the city to fund direct‑mail promotion (council members flagged that as a concern), and whether food trucks would be charged a revenue percentage (Gail said they would not be charged a percentage). Applicants outlined security plans that rely on trained staff, park cameras and proximity to a police substation.
Several residents spoke in favor of the proposal; no formal council vote or contract was recorded the same night. Staff said permitting, licensing and a state retail outlet permit will be needed if council grants approval to proceed.
