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Bartlett's oldest bar seeking to build beer garden

The owner of Bartlett's oldest operating bar - Bracht's Place - is seeking permission to build an outdoor beer garden behind the building and to allow drinkers access to an already acquired 1,200-square-foot interior addition.

Larry Humbracht, who's run the bar at 363 S. Prospect Ave. since 1990, has requested special-use permits for both changes, but especially to allow full use of the addition. His recent lease of the northernmost unit of the Devon/Prospect Plaza allows Bracht's Place to expand from 2,700 square feet to 3,900 square feet.

While he can legally allow patrons without alcoholic beverages to walk into the new space, Humbracht has blocked it off entirely for now to ensure there are no mistakes. Only a special-use permit for the presence of liquor will let him take full advantage of his investment.

The greater impact on the building and its neighbors would come from the fenced outdoor seating area behind the business for which Humbracht is also seeking permission.

The village board will consider both issues at its meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at village hall, 228 S. Main St.

This month, the plan commission recommended approval of both special-use permits by 6-1 votes, with the provision that beer garden use end at 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and at midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

Bracht's Place closes at 2 a.m. weeknights and at 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Neighbors who live across a grassy field from the rear of the building told the plan commission of their desire for a beer garden rule to limit the hours of outdoor noise.

Humbracht said it was never his plan to allow music in the beer garden, though patrons already use the back of the building to smoke.

"The noise isn't going to be a whole lot different," he said. "We're going to keep it under control."

The presence of liquor in the outdoor seating area automatically requires installing a 3-foot-high fence, but Humbracht said he plans to build a 6-foot-high solid fence with a lock on the gate so patrons can't enter or exit through the beer garden.

While he doesn't believe noise from the beer garden will be a problem, Humbracht conceded such a fence won't do much to cut down on any that might exist from patrons' conversations.

  The rear of Bracht's Place, Bartlett's oldest operating bar, where the owner wants to build a fenced-off outdoor seating area where liquor can be served and consumed. Eric Peterson/epeterson@dailyherald.com
  The nearest neighbors behind Bracht's Place live across a grassy field. They asked for the time restriction being recommended for the late-night use of the bar's proposed outdoor beer garden. Eric Peterson/epeterson@dailyherald.com
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