Brewery Approved for Adding Food Service

Brewmaster Brian Evitts and business partner Mike Ratkowski check on a recent batch at their Railhouse Brewery in downtown Aberdeen. Glenn M. Sides

As of Friday, February 15, 2013

Food service is the next big thing on tap at the Railhouse Brewery in Aberdeen.

The town Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to approve a plan that would allow the microbrewery to serve food at its 105 E. South St. location.

Railhouse co-owner Mike Ratkowski told town officials he had five employees hired, waiting to go to work, and needed to get the kitchen open as soon as possible.

"When we abandoned the Brewery in Pinehurst we lost about $55,000, and we invested another $55,000 for the kitchen," Ratkowski told the board. "That's $110,000. I need to start serving food."

The Brewery occupies two buildings on its site. One is used to brew the beer; the other has evolved into a bar and live-music venue. Ratkowski said the current bar area can seat 95 people but it currently is configured to hold 72.

When the kitchen is ready to serve food, Ratkowski said it will begin opening at 11:30 a.m. Now, the brewery begins bar service at 3 p.m.

Several community members offered support for Railhouse at Monday's meeting.

Patrick Coughlin, president and CEO of the Moore County Chamber of Commerce, said that the brewery can be an anchor tenant for the downtown.

"An anchor draws people downtown, and that is good for all the businesses," Coughlin said.

Pat Corso, executive director of Partners in Progress, an economic development agency in Moore County, called Railhouse co-owners Ratkowski and Brian Evitts "two of the premiere entrepreneurs" in Moore County.

"They are a catalyst that is causing things to happen," Corso said.

Several residents from Aberdeen and Moore County also spoke in support of the Brewery. One, Jeremiah Rose, placed a call to the town while on military service in Tajikistan to say, "Brian and Mike are stand-up guys."

Supporters of Railhouse lauded it as a "destination point," and an "attraction for people to come to Aberdeen."

The only negative feedback about the change came from residents Gayle and Randolph Foster. An email from the Fosters that was read to the commissioners said the noise created by the live music, slamming car doors, revving car engines and individuals talking outside the brewery has "become unbearable" and "keeps me (Gayle Foster) awake for hours."

The approval of the conditional zoning came with several conditions that must be met. Among those are that an agreement be made between Railhouse, CSX Railroad and planning staff on parking so patrons would not park within the railroad's 25-foot encroachment area. The other was that all three sides would work together to come to an agreement on fixing the drainage problems affecting the property.

Ratkowski told the commissioners that he was working with CSX on solving both issues. Railroad ties placed outside the encroachment area would prevent the parking problems. As for the pooling water on the site, Ratkowski said if CSX couldn't fix the problem, he had a plan to do so.

Railhouse Brewery had looked into expanding in the old Steam Plant building in Pinehurst, but the plan was nixed last November, and Railhouse opted to sign a new three-year lease after deciding to take an additional 3,000 square feet of space next door.

Contact Tom Embrey at (910) 693-2484 or tembrey@ thepilot.com.

More like this story

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Well done Mike and Brian!! I'm glad a bunch of bureaucrats approve of your business plans. Nothing like having to ask for permission first in the good ol' Fascist States of America.

Themis 3 months, 1 week ago

Yep.....don't even get me started on the zoning and permission board in this county.....if anyone wants to know how free they are in America, just go and try to build yourself a nice little shed for your lawn mower around here. They are the main reason more businesses do not exist around here to employ the unemployed. It became a sad day in this county when a man cannot even build a small deck onto his own home that he bought and pays taxes on w/o jumping through a gamut of site plans and blueprints and building codes and engineering data..plus multiple inspections and fees. Try to build one w/o it and they'll condemn it and fine you $500 a day for every day it is not torn down. If you choose not to pay the fine they will add it to your property taxes and we know what happens if we don't pay our property tax. As a native of Moore Moore County, Permitting a county wide zoning ordinance is one of the worst things to ever happen here. To allow "Big Brother" to watch over his subjects and call the shots according to how he feels on that given day. I know this as a fact because I once foolish attempted to bypass "Big Brother" in Moore County and they sent me a certified letter in the mail with a satellite picture of the infringement with a cease and desist letter of threat. A satellite picture!!! I was shocked that they could invade my privacy like that, and they didn't need a drone to do it. Best of luck to railhouse brewery and congratulations. As long as you don't make too much noise, your lights at night do not affect any neighbors, or parking does not upset any of the board, "Big Brother" just might let you exist long enough to make a buck or two before they change the zoning behind closed doors and you get a letter in the mail or delivered by a deputy!

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Themis- it sounds like you are familiar with the Concerned Communists(citizens) of Pinehurst. America is one sad state of affairs. Some may claim that we are free, but as you and I have just shown we no longer hold ownership of ourselves nor our property. I have to make a trip to Mexico in a couple of months. Nothing fires me up more then having to ask permission for a passport(return to sender card), pay an exorbitant fee, and then be asked what my business is in leaving the country and when do I plan to return. Carrying around an American passport is a death sentence in itself, and honestly who would expat to Mexico? But you know, we are free because they tell us that we are and many believe it. Maybe Pinehurst will come around and dump the historic commission and finally do away with some structurally condemned ruins laying around the village?

JD 3 months, 1 week ago

and honestly who would expat to Mexico?

Old people that didn't save enough to retire in the states.

The one thing expats most appreciate about life here: the traditional Mexican friendliness. hyuck hyuck hyuck

Toda 3 months, 1 week ago

Themis => It's just another revenue stream (taxes)

Poorer County has a tendency to overspend money not their (MoF) own. They contribute our dollars to the comfort and security of Pedophiles in the new Ricky Rhyne Gold Bar Hilton. [have you seen that monstrosity?]

Government uses laws of their own making to force citizens to pay for representation for lobbyists and special interests. Look at the micro managing going on in Carthage: teams have been set up to manage resources in the absence of a county manager.

Themis 3 months, 1 week ago

Toda - I wish you would consider writing a letter to the editor on this subject. You seem very knowing about whats going on. It is really bad here. Ask any contractor. They even try and tell you the size, orientation, color, height,driveway, you almost have no control except writing the check. The public here need to know!

dentman65 3 months, 1 week ago

I would agree. Most people who retire and move here purchase a home to enjoy their retirement. But let them try to put a play fort in their backyard for their grand kids to play on. Most people in Moore County are unware of the hurdles that have to be jumped to alter or improve their property. The county wide zoning ordinance should have never been passed. If you choose to live in the town limits or in a gated community then you understand well beforehand the rules and zoning laws you agree to abide by in that develpoment. But if you choose to live in the country way out from anyone, you chose it for a reason. To do with your property that you pay for and pay taxes on as you see fit. Not to be messed with by some zoning board and it's regulations. If you want to have a few chickens for fresh eggs, have at it!
If you want to live in a development where what your property is regulated and controlled, that too is your choice. But leave us folks in the woods and in the country alone-let us be! Best wishes to the Railroad Brewery and I wish you many years of success!