Schmidt Brewery To Be Revitalized As Foodie Destination

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- St. Paul's West 7th neighborhood is about to get a more than $10 million makeover.

Twin Cities restaurant owners and developers are teaming up to turn the historic Schmidt brewery into a market place of restaurants and businesses, even a farmers market.

The 22,000 square-foot building sat empty for decades before this project, which is being led by Revival restaurant owners Nick Rancone and Thomas Boemer. The two plan to open a new restaurant in the building.

The restaurant does not yet have a name, but they are developing the concept.

"I've always been lucky enough to walk into a building like this, which to some people may look like it needs a cleanup, but I see what it can be," Rancone said.

For restaurant owners used to finding the perfect ingredients, a mix of old and new is the theme for the Keg+Case Market, as the development is being called.

The space will even keep the original sign and some of the graffiti inside.

"It is going to be a really dynamic group of independent businesses that are going to be food-focused and hopefully highlight local food scene here and independent producers," Rancone said.

The 150-year-old brewery building will eventually be home to 30 or more small businesses.

South Minneapolis restaurant Hola Arepa is one business signed to the project. This will be the second Hola Arepa location.

"The community here has been so welcoming and so ready for these expansions in food," Boemer said.

St. Paul's director of arts and culture, Joe Spencer, said the building's historic status made it difficult to renovate for many years.

Spencer said the hope is by including several new businesses led by popular restaurants, the Keg+Case Market will become a go-to destination for the Twin Cities and beyond.

The partners in the project hope to break ground this fall, and, if all goes as planned, they hope to open next summer.