Englewood is now welcoming booze business with open arms. After receiving inquiries from prospective brewers and distillers about opening operations on the popular stretch of South Broadway near Hampden Avenue—home to the Gothic Theater—the city council adjusted an old ordinance that prohibited the distillation of alcohol in that particular business district. The city’s mayor indiciated that welcoming this type of business was a no-brainer.“We want to preserve the commercial character of our downtown and generate foot traffic in these highly visible areas of Englewood,” said Englewood Mayor Randy Penn in a statement. “Sample tastings, retail, and tours of distilleries and breweries help generate pedestrian activity and vibrancy.”

The new ordinance allows for breweries, distilleries, and wineries up to 10,000 square feet, and requires the operations have either a tap room, tavern, or offer public tours—in other words, something to attract people to the area.

Talk of changing the city code began after Englewood recevied interest from somone looking to open a distillery on South Broadway. The town wouldn’t have been able to accomodate the request, and so it set out to change ordinance. The town says the owner of what will eventually be the Devil’s Head Distillery is now in the process of selecting a location along South Broadway.

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