Sauk Rapids City Council Gives Approval For New Downtown Brewery

SAUK RAPIDS - The plan to bring a brewery to downtown Sauk Rapids took another step toward reality this (Monday) evening.

The city council approved giving the land to the Sauk Rapids HRA, which will in turn sell it to the future owner of the brewery.

Sauk Rapids acquired the land from Checker Auto using federal money back in 2007 as part of the new bridge project.  It has sat vacant since then.  The land is valued at $149,000, the HRA plans to sell it for $119,000, and also waive the WAC & SAC fees.

It's expected the earliest construction could begin on the new 9,000 square foot building is late August, but it must be completed by June of next year.

Community Development Director Todd Schultz says the project will still have to come back to the city council at least one more time, but this was the most important step in the project.

Roy Dodds, the owner of Flying Pig Pizza, plans to open "The Urban Moose Brewing Company", and also move his pizza business to that location next summer.