The Blue Island City Council voted Tuesday to approve a five-year lease agreement with Marz Community Brewing Co. to take over the location of the former Blue Island Beer Company, 13357 Old Western Ave.
The city also approved a proposal from Wooden Roof Solutions allowing for specialty wooden truss work on the building.
The project’s estimated cost is $1.7 million, and the estimated lease cost is $1 a year with renewables, according to city administrator Thomas Wogan.
Ed Marszewski, president of Marz Community Brewing Co., said the company plans to seek licensing for a potential distillery and to create many different beverages and foods. He said they are going to create something super experiential and aim to create a tiki-bar, pirate-inspired theme.
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Marszewski said his team is excited to work with the city.
“We actually care a lot about what happens in this world that we live in, and we try to use the resources of our company and things that we make to support the community in any way we can,” Marszewski said.
The former Blue Island Beer Company closed in June 2026 after serving the Blue Island community for more than 11 years. The city took ownership of the building in 2024 from Olde Western Blue Island LLC, managed by Wesley Realty Group, because the building was in foreclosure.
The city announced in August 2025 a restaurant, Trestles, would occupy part of the building. The company’s neighboring space was used for live events but was never part of its business.
Co-owner Bryan Shimkos said in August 2025 the beer company was being pushed out of a building it invested heavily in.
Wogan said in a written statement the beer company wasn’t denied anything. He said that the city went to ‘great lengths’ to support the company and maintains ‘good relationships’ with the former operator.
Wogan said construction at the building has been ongoing, and recent engineering work requiring slight updates has been completed. He said the lease with Trestles and the lease with Marz Community Brewing Co. are separate.
Marz Community Brewing Co. first opened in Bridgeport in 2013 and began producing beer in summer 2014, according to the company’s website. It is owned by the same family behind Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar, a hybrid liquor store and tavern in Bridgeport.
The South Side-based company moved its headquarters into the Central Manufacturing District of McKinley Park in 2018 and later opened Life on Marz taproom in Logan Square in April 2021, according to its website.
Blue Island resident Jason Berry, who is also economic and community development director for Lemont, said this investment provides the Blue Island with a good opportunity for economic and community development.
“I’ve seen the catalytic impact Ed Marszewski and his businesses have had in Bridgeport … and I remember thinking, ‘That’s what I want for me. That’s what I want for my Blue Island,” Berry said.
City officials said they have high confidence that operations with Trestles and Marz Community Brewing Co. will work out, with minimal concerns so far.
Fifth Ward Ald. Gabriel McGee shared concerns regarding building improvements and financials but said he is not against Marz taking over and hopes they will be successful.
“I just want to make sure that they have skin in the game, and then, too, that whatever improvements we do, we base it off the method of attachment for that property,” McGee said.
Other concerns came from 4th Ward Ald. Bill Fahrenwald, who was not present at Tuesday’s meeting. Wogan said on Fahrenwald’s behalf that the two have had a constructive conversation regarding existing concerns.
“We feel this is a very strong investment for the city,” Wogan said. “We feel that it is worth this amount of money out of this fund for that. There may be disagreements to that, but it is our stated position that this is why we’re moving forward with it.”