A craft brewery that needed multiple timeline extensions and received $100,000 in incentives from Homewood is closing its taproom at 18027 Dixie Highway. In a Facebook post dated June 24, Vice District said it was shifting focus toward distribution.
A craft brewery that needed multiple timeline extensions and received $100,000 in incentives from Homewood is closing its taproom at 18027 Dixie Highway.
week that is closing its
taproom for except for
special events.
(Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
In a Facebook post dated June 24, Vice District Brewing said it was shifting focus toward distribution.
“In order to give due focus to this effort, Vice is thrilled to offer the newly renovated space in Homewood for private and community events and special occasions,” the post read.
In a comment below the post, Vice District clarified that the Homewood taproom would only be open for special events “for the time being.”
The village board first approved $100,000 in non-TIF business incentive funds to help with construction costs in September 2016, under the stipulation that work would be completed within six months. Extensions were granted in March 2017 and June 2018. Vice District finally opened in summer 2018.
“If they do not remain open they must repay a portion of the incentive they were granted,” Village Manager Jim Marino said in an email to the Chronicle. “We’ll be looking at the development agreement and talking to the owner about his plans.”
Vice District owner Curtis Tarver II, who also represents the 25th district as a Democrat in the Illinois legislature, said last year that there were delays getting permits from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District. A higher capacity water line required excavation under Dixie Highway with approval from IDOT, Tarver said.
Tarver did not respond to Chronicle requests for comment on the change to the business.
