MIDLAND, ON – The town of Midland in Ontario’s Huronia Region has announced that its Council has unanimously approved the sale of a parcel of land at 526 Bay Street to Barnstormer Brewing & Distilling, allowing the company to open a second location 50 km north of its original facility in Barrie.
According to a press release announcing the agreement, the land which currently houses a municipal parking lot was declared surplus last month “for the purpose of pursuing the economic development opportunity and enter into negotiations to sell the land to the prospective buyer.”
“We are thrilled that Barnstormer has chosen Midland to launch their (new) microbrewery,” said Midland Mayor Gord McKay in a statement. “Their three million dollar investment in our downtown will spur our local economy, provide jobs and serve as a new attraction for our area’s tourism industry.”
No timeline has been announced for the construction and opening of Barnstormer’s Midland brewery, except to note that the project is “slated to begin after applicable engineering related issues are completed.”
UPDATE (February 28th, 10:00 AM): Following last night’s announcement from the Town of Midland, Barnstormer has issued its own press release featuring more information about the new brewery, including the following:
The facility will rest conveniently along the Trans-Canada Trail and feature a restaurant inside the brewery overlooking the shores of Georgian Bay. The menu will be similar in style to its original location in Barrie, Ontario offering spent-grain pizzas and gastropub fare along with craft beer and spirits.
The proposed waterfront development will house a modern brewing and distilling operation, craft beer and spirits retail store, and an approximate 250-seat restaurant with outdoor patio. […] The expansion will allow Barnstormer the additional production capacity to meet growing demands, as well as further its reach across Ontario with plans on expanding outside the province.
For more details, see the full Barnstormer announcement.