USA, NY: Former Jamestown Brewing Company building to be sold to Wicked Warren’s

The former Jamestown Brewing Company building has been saved from foreclosure and will be sold to the owner of Wicked Warren’s, the Post Journal reported on January 23.

At its meeting on January 23, the county Industrial Development Agency board approved a $950,000 low-interest loan to Wicked Jimmy’s LLC to support the purchase of property at 115-121 W. Third St., Jamestown, the site of the former Jamestown Brewing Company building. The building had been the subject of a foreclosure action by Evans Bank.

If the project comes to fruition, Wicked Jimmy’s will be the LLC operating the business as Wicked Warren’s.

“It’s great to see the further expansion of our beverage and service industry in Chautauqua County, especially by a team with a proven track record. Once open, the Wicked Warren’s Jamestown location will help to encourage both area residents and out of town visitors to come to the downtown,” said County Executive Paul “PJ” Wendel.

It will be operated by Robert Roth, who is also majority owner of the initial Wicked Warren’s, already in operation in Warren. Roth will serve as president of the Jamestown operation and has 27 years of experience running his own business. In addition, the proposed Jamestown business will include a vice president and head brewer with more than 15 years of brewing experience, along with a front of house and banquet manager with 12 years of experience, both of whom work at the Wicked Warren’s location in Pennsylvania.

“We’ve done considerable planning and are looking forward to getting this business up and running as soon as possible,” Roth said. “Once open and operational, Wicked Jimmy’s will brew craft beer, serve food, and host corporate meetings and ball room events. It will also provide live music, feature a ‘Speak Easy Room,’ and in the future open a roof top bar. Our goal is to make 119 W. Third St. Jamestown’s premier entertainment destination.”

The Post-Journal reported in June that George Patti III had said in court documents filed as part of the foreclosure action that a sale of the former Jamestown Brewing Company building was being negotiated. That sale, Patti said, would allow him to pay off the loan with Evans Bank and resolve the foreclosure case.

Wicked Jimmy’s is planning to open in March. The IDA’s loan is a portion of the $2.35 million project, and IDA money is contingent on Wicked Jimmy’s securing the rest of the money.

“The property is at a prime location for this type of operation, in close proximity to the Comedy Center, Northwest Arena, and other downtown Jamestown attractions. The former Jamestown Brewing Company, which was located in the facility, steadily grew its customer base until the onset of the COVID pandemic. We are confident that Wicked Warren’s will do the same, based on what they’re doing in Warren, and bring new life to Downtown Jamestown,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and chief executive officer of the IDA.

Jamestown Brewing Co. closed in July 2020 after its application for federal Paycheck Protection Program funding was denied. The brewer was in business for about a year, with a grand opening pushed back because of construction delays and lawsuits between Patti and the company’s owners. Turning the former Lillian Vitanza Ney Renaissance Center into Jamestown Brewing Company cost about $5.1 million, an amount that included the cost to purchase the building. The project initially received $830,000 through the state Downtown Revitalization Initiative, a $475,000 state Main Street grant, around $200,000 from city officials in Community Development Block Grant funding for facade enhancements and Americans With Disabilities Act improvements, a $180,000 Jamestown Local Development Corporation loan, $100,000 from the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency and $50,000 from the Greater Jamestown Zone Capital Corporation.

“We’re excited to see new life come into this property after being vacant for nearly four years,” said Mayor Kimberly Ecklund. “Having a craft brewery, restaurant, and banquet facility located in the core of downtown Jamestown will help to boost both visitor and local foot traffic, while also providing additional job opportunities for our local residents.”

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