A new location will mean more exposure for winery

By Ginna Young

Having outgrown his current location, Wisconsin Veteran Farm Winery owner Dan Osborn requested a Conditional Use Permit from the City of Cornell, to allow for the manufacture, blending, bottling and labeling of alcoholic beverages, at property he purchased at 808 South Third Street. Because the parcel, formerly part of Cornell Corp. holdings, is industrially zoned, the Board of Zoning Appeals met to discuss the matter, April 7.

The property, which is the middle plot of three, was divided up by the owners of Trademark Custom Cabinets, which has rental space on it. Therefore, Osborn developed DMO LLC, so the Wisconsin Veteran Farm can rent under that name.

He also may have another brewery interested in renting part of the space, out of Spring Valley, who needs a spot for manufacturing.

“It’s a nice real estate from where the current Wisconsin Veteran Farm LLC is located,” said Osborn.

Currently, Osborn manufactures his wine in his basement and stores the bottles all over his house.

“You need a bigger building,” said Board of Zoning Appeals member Floyd Hickethier.

Osborn was approved for the Conditional Use Permit, but knows it will be a long process before the manufacturing can move to the new location, as he needs to go through state and federal requirements, as well as renovation of the property, to get it up to health code standards. It will be at least seven months, before production will take place.

Once he’s up and running, the possibilities are endless of what will happen at the new location, with Osborn hoping to draw more people to Cornell, or catch the eye of those passing through.

“There’s so much potential for that area,” said Osborn.