In April of 2015, Trey Atwood contacted Gateway Commercial Brokerage looking for a space to start Decatur's first brewery. Matthew Morehead was instrumental in compiling properties that fit the search criteria, and presented the client with multiple options that might work. The biggest challenge was finding a location zoned specifically for this type of business, in a high visibility area, and good for a brewery.
After viewing several of the M1 zoned properties, we kept coming back to the location on 1st Avenue. It was a perfect spot in the client's mind, but wasn't correctly zoned. We set about contacting the city about a possible re-zone request, and the owner of the property and their agent were also on board to give it a shot. We were excited about and worked diligently toward bringing this property dream to fruition.
This initial process seemed like the hardest part: finding a location with the correct zoning designation. That was only the beginning. After back and forth meetings on leasing, amendments, and other items, Gateway Commercial Brokerage and the property owner's agent came up with an agreement that both parties would benefit from.
So in July 2017, the final amendment was signed, the deal closed on the first brewery in Decatur, Alabama, and construction began. Zoning, building modifications, licensing and other items of that nature were all intriguing parts of this project. Watching this location go from an old auto parts store to the brewery it is today has been a fun project to watch for Gateway Commercial Brokerage. The brewery opened on February 23, 2018 and business hasn't slowed down since. Their location hosts food trucks and music acts that attract patrons from all over!
Thank you to Emmette Barran CCIM for all his work on this project, especially in the drawing up and negotiating of the lease. Without his help and experience, none of this project would have been possible. Also, thank you to Steve Payne of Legend Realty for all his work on behalf of the property owner.