SPoT Coffee, Prosper Brewing come to Webster Street in North Tonawanda

The former NT history museum is getting a face-lift. (John Hickey/News file photo)

SPoT Coffee, Prosper Brewing come to Webster Street in North Tonawanda

By Samantha Christmann|Published December 10, 2018|Updated December 10, 2018SHART

Downtown North Tonawanda will soon see two major developments: the opening of a nano brewery and an overhaul of the former North Tonawanda History Museum building that will bring a SPoT Coffee and other new tenants to the street.

The former G.C. Murphy’s department store at 54 Webster St. is about to get a significant face-lift. The aluminum and glass façade will be redone to match the more historic, canal town style of the surrounding properties. The inside will be remodeled to accommodate several tenants along with interior corridors.

SPoT Coffee, the Toronto-based coffee chain that began in Buffalo, will anchor the complex. It will be known as DestinatioNT.

Investor and real estate developer Ralph Dailey bought the building at auction in July for about $499,000; higher than the expected $375,000.

The long-troubled North Tonawanda History Museum previously occupied the building, but did not pay its mortgage and went through foreclosure. It has since moved its collections to 712 Oliver St.

Prosper Brewing, a nano brewery at 72 Webster St., is ready to go. Owners Timothy Berg and Kevin Whipple had hoped to have taps flowing by the end of the year, but they are still waiting for their liquor license to arrive.

Prosper will brew and serve such beers as porter, stout, blonde ale, orange pale ale, Vienna lager, Munich Dunkel and maybe a sour Berliner Weisse. Beers will be available on tap and by the growler.

“Personally, I feel that too many breweries often focus on IPAs and in fruit beers and have lost sight of a lot of the more traditional beer styles,” said co-owner Timothy Berg.

The brewery fills the former longtime site of Hodgepodge gift shop, which was most recently home to the Uncorked wine bar.

Prosper will have 12 taps, two of which it hopes to reserve for hard ciders from a producer it will partner with if it can get the proper licensing. That same producer would also supply wine.

Prosper’s tasting room, which seats 40 people, is situated with the brew tanks in full view. Its kitchen will serve a small but unique menu that includes sauerbraten and pierogi.

The brewery is named after Prosper Peuquet, a French immigrant who served as an influential brewmaster in the Tonawandas during the 18th and early 19th century.

The owners have remodeled the brewery to restore some of its historic charm, with tin ceilings, tongue-and-groove walls and subway tile. The building itself predates the historic Riviera Theatre across the street.