Distillery proposed for Whitefish warehouse

A new microdistillery and tasting room is proposed for a vacant warehouse on Baker Avenue in Whitefish.

The Whitefish Planning Board will review Nov. 20 an application from Whitefish Handcrafted Spirits for a conditional use permit to operate the distillery.

The owners are proposing to operate the distillery along with a small tasting room at a warehouse near the intersection of Baker Avenue and Commerce Street. The site previously housed a cabinet shop.

The property is zoned for light industrial uses, which allows microbreweries. Planners have decided that a microdistillery is similar enough to a microbrewery to allow for consideration of a conditional use permit.

The owners are proposing to remodel the existing warehouse with an exterior facelift, but won’t change the footprint of the building.

The distillery portion is proposed to be 3,675 square feet, while the tasting room is 660 square feet.

The distillery proposes to operate under State Liquor Board requirements which limits hours of operation and maximum number of ounces permitted per customer.

Hours of operation would be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

The Whitefish Planning Board meets Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. inside City Hall.