Montclair Couple’s Proposed Microbrewery Hits Unexpected Snag

MONTCLAIR, NJ — As a young boy growing up in the West African nation of Burkina Faso, Leo Sawadogo would watch his mother transforming native grains and herbs into something magical: beer.

Now, the Montclair entrepreneur and his wife, Denise Ford Sawadogo, want to bring that magic to their hometown. If they can raise the funds to overcome a snag in the planning process, that is.

According to the Sawadogos, their brainchild – Montclair Brewery – would be the town’s first brew facility to make beer on-site. With plans to offer beers inspired by their roots in West Africa and the Caribbean, classes on homebrewing and a lineup of proposed events such as “beer yoga” and African Dance, the Montclair Brewery would be a boost to the town’s cultural diversity, the couple said.

Although the couple planned to open its location in the Walnut Street area at the end of 2017, the microbrewery remains unopened due to unforeseen local planning board requirements caused by a parking variance the Sawadogos needed in order to allow a greater number of seats than the town ordinance permits for their lot size. Although the variance was eventually approved, it came with strings attached: about $25,000 in additional construction costs, the Sawadogos said.

Items on the to-do list include:

• $7,000 for two glass roll-up garage door/windows
• $3,000 for an exterior door
• $5,000 to cut the opening through the brick wall for the window and door
• $5,000 to make changes to add 2 new spaces to the parking lot
• $1,500 to reduce existing driveway curb opening (splay)
• $1,000 for landscaping including new curbing around lot
• $800 for a bike parking rack for lot

“We didn’t anticipate the amount of work the town was going to require us to do to the exterior,” said Denise, the co-owner and marketing director for the brewery.

She said that the couple have already invested “upwards of six figures” to make their dream come true. The Sawadogos have already received their TTB (federal) brewer’s permit and their multi-page application to NJ State Alcohol Bureau Control (ABC) is under review.

But the Montclair Planning Board’s requirements still loom large, they said.

In an effort to cover the unexpected costs of getting their brewery up to code, the Sawadogos launched a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo, which can be seen here.

“With your help we’ll be able bring Montclair its first functioning brewery and add a beautiful and inviting community gathering space to the Walnut Street area,” Denise Sawadogo said.

• See related article: Montclair Bar Opens Near Wellmont, Taps Nutley Native As Chef

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Photos: Montclair Brewery

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