Gunshots were heard at about 11:10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the 5200 block of West Pensacola Avenue in Portage Park, at about the same time a stolen vehicle was read story
Pollyanna Brewing to bring kitchen, events space, second bar to former Alarmist location in Sauganash
by BRIAN NADIG
The construction of the new Pollyanna Brewing Company & Distilling in the former Alarmist Brewing at 4055 W. Peterson Ave. in Sauganash is expected to start this fall, bringing a kitchen, a second bar and a dedicated events space to the site.
“Part of our motive for (acquiring Alarmist) was to be able to place our flag in the city,” Pollyanna co-founder and president Ryan Weidner said. Pollyanna’s other locations are in the suburbs, Roselle, Saint Charles and two in Lemont.
The Chicago location will be Pollyanna’s first with a kitchen, offering artisan pizza, shareable dishes and up to about 20 items in all. Alarmist did not have a kitchen, whose installation will be part of a planned 14-week construction phase that also will include an events space and another bar.
Weidner said that the popularity of Alarmist’s products, along with the ability to turn some of the warehouse space there into a private party area, was an opportunity too good to turn down.
“They effectively were a turn key operation,” but behind the walls of the Alarmist taproom was an underutilized area, Weidner said. Plans also call for fully developing the outdoor patio space, he added.
A construction permit for the project was applied for on Aug. 3.
Weidner said that he expects the work to start this fall and the brewery to open by February or March.
“It’s really all coming together,” Weidner said. “The whole community has been super supportive.”
Pollyanna acquired Alarmist’s recipes and distribution network, and Alarmist beers are still available at the same stores, restaurants and bars as before, Weidner said. He added that those beers are being brewed at an existing Pollyanna location, as efforts are underway to an obtain a new federal brewing license for the Sauganash brewing site, which measures about 11,000 square feet.
Pollyanna is hosting a series of free town hall meetings so residents can learn about the company and its Chicago plans.
Registration is required, and more information is available at https://shop.oznr.com/merchants/pollyannabrewing/ml/chicago
Or send an e-mail message to info@pollyannabrewing.com
Alarmist closed last February after around 10 years in business. It was housed inside the former site of the Siebel Institute of Technology, the oldest brewing school in North America.
Pollyanna opened its first location about 12 years ago.
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