The Breckenridge Distillery needs to expand, and owner Bryan Nolt wants to know if the Town of Breckenridge is the right place to do it.

“We're growing at a pretty reasonable pace,” Nolt said. “We're a little ahead of schedule.”

The biggest problem for the distillery is space, mainly when it comes to storing bottles and barrels. The company is making whiskey, which requires space to let the liquor barrel-age for three years before sale. Nolt said there's enough density on their current property on Airport Road to add a barrel house. Nolt said they also need more room to work, because currently space is tight.

“It's hard to grow in Breckenridge, and we need to decide if we can do it or not,” he said. “We like that spot a lot, and it's always nice to stay where you put your roots down.”

But for Nolt, his biggest problem is bureaucratic hurdles posed by expansion. He said his initial experience getting off the ground was not a good one, and he wants to make sure he avoids the same experience this time around. He wants to know whether or not the town wants the business there, and if they do, if they want to work with them. Ultimately, he said, he would like to grow in Breckenridge.

“We're a low-impact business, a responsible business,” he said. “What we do is mutually beneficial to the town.”

Breckenridge Councilman Mark Burke agrees, saying an expansion would bring numerous high-end jobs — some that could pay up to $75,000 a year.

“We're talking about significant jobs in a small community,” he said.

Also, every time the distillery sells a product, the town's name is plastered across it. The Breckenridge brand will be extended even more, as the distillery recently teamed with a Texas chocolatier to create a chocolate liqueur to be sold at Neiman Marcus.

Burke said it's very clear everyone on council supports the business and wants to help it expand so they can grow here — and not somewhere else.

“I'm excited the council is aware of small business needs,” Burke said.

An enterprise zone?

One of the ideas being thrown around to help the distillery expand is the creation of an enterprise zone, which would create tax incentives to help new and existing businesses to grow and create more jobs.

Councilman Mike Dudick said while an enterprise zone is usually a specific geographic region, in this case, it's more about what the town wants to do philosophically to help.

“The worry would be there might be some unfairness,” Dudick said, especially to those who have been in the town a long time and paying all the required fees. “Then someone new comes in and they're not paying the same amount.”

Burke said an enterprise zone could possibly attract unwanted businesses, but because the price of land in Breckenridge is so high, it's probably unlikely. He said council asked town manager Tim Gagen to get more information on enterprise zones, to see it that's something they would like to move forward with.

The other option, Burke said, is to assist the growth of businesses on a case-by-case basis.

Burke said staff is going to meet soon with Nolt to discuss his needs.

“Anything you can do to help create new jobs in our economy is great,” Dudick said. “I'm all in favor of anything we can do that helps grow small businesses in a small town like Breckenridge.”