Lake Zurich board praises downtown microbrewery plan

A plan to convert Mark Cook's Garden Center in downtown Lake Zurich into a tap room and microbrewery received praise from many on the village board.

Trustee Jonathan Sprawka thanked Mark Cook, who presented his plan to the board for a courtesy review Tuesday.

"These are the types of businesses we need to see," Sprawka said. "I think it's taking a risk as a business owner to do this and I think it needs to be fully acknowledged we have folks, yourself included, taking a leap to invest in downtown Lake Zurich."

Trustee John Shaw said he was happy to see the proposal.

"This is really exciting news for our downtown," Shaw said.

Mayor Thomas Poynton said an informal poll conducted online by the village found 84 percent of the 90 residents who responded were in favor of a microbrewery at the site, located at 101 E. Main St.

Poynton read comments from a few of those who opposed the project. One commenter wondered if the area didn't already have enough microbreweries. Cook said he thought the local market hadn't been saturated yet.

"I know I can make a success of it with the people joining me in it," Cook said. "If we can produce a product that's exceptionally good I think things will go well, I think people will come visit."

Cook said the brewing will be handled by his cousin, a 28-year industry veteran.

Cook's plan calls for a 1,900-square-foot tap room, a 2,000-square-foot brewery and bottling area and about 2,000 square feet of outdoor seating areas. Cook said he wants to have games such as table tennis and soft-tip darts outside and space for live music inside.

"The music would be basically low-key music, I'm not looking for rock 'n' roll," Cook said. "I'm looking for more jazz, rhythm and blues, country, things like that. (I'm) trying to appeal to a wide variety of people."

The plan does not call for a kitchen. Instead, Cook said, the tap room would have menus available for nearby restaurants that deliver and would occasionally invite food trucks to park outside.

Poynton said he was concerned about the parking situation. Cook said he is in talks with the Lions Club and Ela Township about using their nearby parking.

Still up in the air is the name. In plans submitted to the village, the microbrewery was called Bear Tracks, but on Tuesday Cook said the name had been switched to Steel Hearts.

Sarosh Saher, the village's community development director, said Cook formally submitted his plan and it will likely be before the planning and zoning committee at the Oct. 17 meeting.