Geneva aldermen give nod to 3 more liquor licenses

GENEVA – Geneva aldermen on Monday approved three additional liquor licenses for one winery and two restaurants.

Up North Wine Tasting Room, 9 N. Second St., received approval to add the option of selling alcoholic liquors in addition to beer and wine. The additional license will allow sale and consumption on or off premises, City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said.

Up North Wine Tasting Room co-owner Catherine Humphreys said they opened May 5, 2022.

“We feature all northern Michigan wines and it’s been going fantastic,” Humphreys said. “We’ve had a wonderful reception – local people and people from the city of Chicago coming out. And people who have been up to the Traverse City area and have experienced all the wineries up there. It’s been going great.”

For spirits, Humphreys said Mammoth Distilling in Michigan has been bottling since 2017.

“They source most of their product from Michigan,” Humphreys said. “So we thought what a better way to complete our package to be able to offer spirits. Just have a cocktail of the month, perhaps, or a frozen cocktail. We still want to have our main focus be the wines because that’s what we’re known for. So we’re going to partner with them.”

Humphreys said Mammoth Distilling sources its gin from white pines on the owner’s property and lavender, rye and corn from local farms.

“Everything is Michigan-based – that’s kind of what our whole motto is – bring that part of Michigan down here to Geneva,” Humphreys said.

The other two additional licenses to sell limited specialty packaged alcoholic liquors and “to go” mixed drinks were granted to Walrus Room, 415 W. State St. and Alchemist, 477 S. Third St.

Alchemist is in the space formerly occupied by Galena Winery.

Owner Marshall McCarty was not at Monday’s meeting, but he did speak at a December City Council meeting when alderman approved Alchemist’s first liquor license. McCarty also introduced his brother-in-law and business partner Devin Beerman at that meeting.

“Just the opportunity to be in front of you all and thank you all for the last four years of our operation at The Walrus Room,” McCarty said at that time. “I can’t imagine being in a city that was more accommodating to what we were trying to accomplish. We’re super excited to offer Alchemist to the dining and drinking pleasures of our community. … We want to add to what is already a great Third Street experience.”