By Jim Newell
Review Writer
Many Orion residents and craft beer connoisseurs already know that 51 North Brewing Co. had its last call with a New Year’s farewell party.
The restaurant-brewery, located at 51 N. Broadway St., had become a fixture in downtown Lake Orion, with many people enjoying the venues’ food, music and specialty brews in the industrial-themed interior or in the outside dining area on a warm summer’s day.
“We wish the 51 North Brewery folks all the best as they move onto their next endeavor,” said Molly LaLone, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, on behalf of the DDA Board of Directors.
“When a new business owner is found to purchase 51 N. Broadway, we hope the community will join us to welcome them to our downtown Lake Orion community with an open mind and a fair chance,” LaLone said.
The DDA, which owns the property, is in negotiations with a Waterford-based restaurant-brewery to open in the location; however, LaLone did not want to disclose which business is interested in the property until the papers have been signed.
“The LODDA is in the process of finding an experienced business owner to purchase the property and start anew,” LaLone said.
The Gindhart’s, owners of 51 North Brewing Co., first approached the DDA in 2011, looking for a property to meet their business model.
“They knew they wanted to be downtown, but were not able to find any space that suited their unique needs,” LaLone said. “The building at 51 N. Broadway is the first commercial property we have ever purchased and at the time the DDA offices were located there.”
“After some brainstorming, Suzanne Perreault, former DDA Executive Director, and the Gindhart’s formulated an economic development business incubator plan,” LaLone said.
The plan allowed the brewery to build the space to their needs, and in exchange the DDA would forgo rental revenue for 5 years to offset the Gindhart’s investment.
“The intention of this project was to sell the building at the end of five years, hopefully to the current occupants,” LaLone said.
The step-up plan went from $0 per month for 18 months, and slowly increased until the end of the original lease in April 2016, LaLone said.
“The original intention of this project was to allow the owners and investors of 51 North Brewery to get on stable enough ground to purchase the building outright in 2016,” LaLone said.
“When the original lease expired, and we were informed they would not be purchasing, the lease holdover rate went up again, this time to about $5 per square foot below the going rate in downtown Lake Orion.
“As sale of the building was the original intent, the DDA put the building up for sale in June 2016, LaLone said. “Selling the building will allow the DDA to complete many other projects that were tabled due to high ticket price and lack of funds.”
Those projects include the DDA’s signage & wayfinding project and historic preservation building grant program, she said, adding the DDA ventures “will support our downtown businesses and keep our community moving in a positive direction.”