Microdistillery planned for downtown Whitefish

Another microdistillery and tasting room is planning to open in Whitefish.

Spotted Bear Spirits has applied for a permit to operate downtown at 505 Railway St. across from Depot Park.

Business owner Lauren Oscilowski says the handcrafted distillery will include a tasting room that seats about 30 people. The entire facility is proposed to be 2,000 square feet.

The building interior will be remodeled, but the exterior will remain the same, Oscilowski said.

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

Oscilowski is a partner at Glacier Distillery in Coram.

The Whitefish Planning Board approved a conditional use permit for the business and City Council will review the project at its March 2 meeting.

This is the second microdistillery to apply for a permit in Whitefish this winter.

In December, council approved a conditional use permit for Whitefish Handcrafted Spirits to operate a distillery at a warehouse near the intersection of Baker and Commerce Street.