Little Wekiva Brewery has plans to open a new brewery and tap room in the Springs Plaza shopping center at 145 Wekiva Springs Road in Longwood.
Co-owners, Chris Connor and his father, Richard Connor, both semi-retired IT professionals and longtime residents of the Wekiva Springs area, are waiting for county approval to go into a 1,200 sq. ft. location near the existing Hurricane Grill and Wings, the Back Porch and Mulligan’s.
The brewery, which would include an outdoor seating area, is very small, Chris Connor said. But, he said, they want to build a community gathering place; they aren’t looking to brand their product and sell it in grocery stores. He plans to have eight to 12 taps and sell that many different brews and seltzers, which they will also make on the property.
“Our whole business plan is to have a local brewery,” Connor said.
The place will have an outdoorsy feel with perhaps kayaks and fishing gear hanging on the walls to reflect the feeling of nature in the area, Connor said. Wekiwa Springs State Park is nearby.
It is their first retail establishment but the father-son team have a lot of experience brewing beer. They have been doing it at home for about eight years.
The Springs Plaza location also offers his patrons easy access to some eight or nine food outlets, he said.
If all goes well, Connor said they hope to open in summer 2022.
Their application for a special exception to open an alcohol-only business on the property has been submitted and is under review by Seminole County’s board of planning and development.
