Osseo Council Approves Lease for Brooklyn Park Brewery

Heavy Rotation Brewing Co., a Brooklyn Park-based brewery, has signed a lease to move from its current location to the city of Osseo-owned former Press and News building.

It’s not decided when the move will take place.

In June, the city council approved a 10-year lease for Heavy Rotation Brewing at the city-owned property at 33 2nd St NE in Osseo. The location is also being redeveloped to hold a municipal cannabis store.

The other side of the building, designed with a patio, was made to be leased out for an offer the nanobrewery was ready to take.

“We would really love to come to Osseo and kind of share that passion you guys have about the community,” said Ken Smith, a co-owner of Heavy Rotation Brewing. 

The nearly 10-year lease would run from Nov. 1, 2026 to Sept. 30, 2036. City documents state that Heavy Rotation will reside there rent-free until March 1, 2027. That would help facilitate the build-out for the business.

Municipal Dispensary Pushback

Planning for a municipal cannabis dispensary has been ongoing for years, with a site already in development and a name selected: Osseo Press Room Dispensary.

However, some residents are pushing back on the dispensary. The council is considering a tax abatement bond to pay for the project, but some residents are against that idea. The bond would be up to $4 million with a 20-year term. City officials expect to use revenue from cannabis sales to pay the debt service, but if sales fall short, taxpayers would pick up the tab.

Some residents questioned the plan and its financial obligations, and some council members expressed concerns after those objections.

The council took no action on the bond issuance at a recent public hearing. 

A look inside the former Osseo Press and News building.

A Big Move

Smith with Heavy Rotation Brewing attended the June 22 council meeting. There, Council Member Mark Cook asked Smith if he was still planning to move forward if a cannabis dispensary was up in the air.

“The passion in this room is unbelievable,” Smith said. “One of the main reasons we wanted to move our location to a small city like Osseo. So for me, if it isn’t that, as long as the community is okay with us being there, that’s fine with me.”

After Smith was called up, the council unanimously approved the lease.

“Theres a level of excitement… this town’s been hearing about a brewery for I think 10 years,” Cook said. “So the idea of one actually potentially happening sooner than later is exciting. Another patio is very exciting. There’s a lot of different things about it that make me excited for it.”

The former Osseo Press and News office is being gutted ahead of plans for a full-scale remodel. 

Heavy Rotation Brewing Company is currently located at 9801 Xenia Avenue North in Brooklyn Park, the only brewery in that city. You can watch for updates on the move on the business’s Facebook page.

A worker fills a drink at Heavy Rotation Brewing, the only brewery in Brooklyn Park.

Brooklyn Park | Osseo