By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – It’s full-speed ahead for a new brewpub and restaurant in Uptown Normal, but that would not have been the case had the Normal Town Council turned down tax rebates earlier this week.

Fiala Brewhouse and Pub will be located at 127 E. Beaufort St. in Normal.

The council Tuesday night voted 5-2 to rebate up to $150,000 in sales and food and beverage taxes to Ryan and Steve Fiala. They intend to serve craft beers and food, and add a second story patio at what used to be Bill’s Key and Lock. The brothers own D.P Dough next door.

Ryan Fiala said financing of the $1.6 million project is contingent on receiving the rebate. It would have been back to the drawing board, perhaps with a scaled-down project, had they not won council approval.

“It would have possibly had to go back to a single-story concept. We’d have had to figure out the logistics of making food and beer work in that space possibly,” Ryan Fiala said.

“It’s possible the space would have remained boarded up for the foreseeable future,” he added.

Tax break opponents claim the project won’t generate new economic activity, but Steve Fiala said breweries attract out-of-town customers.

“I think you’d be surprised how many people travel to breweries from out of town, and from other local towns,” Steve Fiala said.

“Those are dollars coming from outside of this area. It will be a positive for our business, no doubt,” Steve Fiala also said.

The owners, both Illinois State University graduates, believe they’re bringing a transformative project to Uptown.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]