City OKs new distillery on Baker

A new microdistillery and tasting room proposed to open in a vacant warehouse on Baker Avenue has received the go-ahead from Whitefish City Council.

Council approved a conditional use permit for Whitefish Handcrafted Spirits to operate the distillery at a warehouse near the intersection of Baker and Commerce Street. The site previously housed a cabinet shop.

“It’s nice to see economic development come to the south side of Baker,” Mayor John Muhlfeld said.

The property is zoned for light industrial, which allows for microbreweries. City planning staff determined that a microdistillery is similar enough to a microbrewery to allow for consideration of a conditional use permit.

The owner is proposing to remodel the existing building and an exterior facelift.

The distillery portion is expected to be about 3,500 square feet and the tasting room about 600 square feet. This requires the business to provide 11 parking spaces.

State liquor requirements will limit hours of operation. Hours would be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday.