A startup craft brewery in Kirkland, Wash. has been cleared for liftoff by the state’s liquor board.
Chainline Brewing’s licensing application was approved by the Washington State Liquor Control Board on Tuesday, despite prior complaints filed with the city by Kirkland community members, who were concerned that the presence of a new brewery would pose a threat to public safety.
The approval is contingent upon the issuing of its federal brewers notice, Chainline co-founder and owner Scott Holm told Brewbound, but he said the provision is “standard procedure” at this point.
Now, with contractors lined up and equipment on hand, the new beer company is ready to move forward and plans to open its doors before the end of this year.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am,” Holm wrote to Brewbound in an email. “Now we can focus on construction, which should hopefully start later this week.”
Initial concerns arose over the location of the proposed brewery and tasting room. Parents worried that intoxicated patrons would be unfit to operate motor vehicles in the vicinity of established businesses that provide classes in ballet, music and martial arts for children.
Additionally, citizens had feared that brewery visitors would take up too much room in an over-crowded parking lot that already serves other businesses in the shared complex.
Holm was able to meet with some of the worried citizens earlier this month, however, and successfully allayed a number of their concerns, something he wished he’d done before the dispute snowballed.
“Communication about what the craft brewing industry is, is vitally important,” he told Brewbound at the time. “This could’ve all probably been avoided if we’d all had a chance to speak beforehand rather than afterwards.”