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City grants Firebrand ability to operate with full bar

HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 7 months AGO
by HEIDI DESCH
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | December 11, 2017 9:48 AM

The Firebrand Hotel downtown has received city approval to operate with a full bar, rather than just serving wine and beer as it currently does.

City Council Dec. 4 approved a conditional use permit for the Firebrand to operate with a full liquor license.

Brian Averill, one of the hotel’s owners, has aid the hotel is looking to add a full liquor license because it has become a necessary part of the operating the “boutique, higher-end” hotel.

One of the conditions of the CUP prohibits the operation of the bar on the hotel’s rooftop patio. It currently includes a restaurant and lounge with a beer and wine licenses, but would like to operate with an all-beverage license in its restaurant and lounge.

Councilor Andy Feury noted a low interest level from neighbors of the hotel for the latest request. He pointed out that several people commented on the initial proposal for the hotel and then again when the hotel last year applied for a rooftop hot tub, but that last week there was just one person to make a comment.

“I don’t know if they’ve won a war of attrition or they’ve been good neighbors,” Feury said. “I prefer applications to come in total, and not come back again.”

Police Chief Bill Dial said his department hasn’t received any complaints about noise coming from the Firebrand.

City Council last year approved the operation of a rooftop hot tub at the downtown hotel as an amendment to the hotel’s CUP. The OK came after objections from neighbors who said the change would increase the noise coming from the hotel creating a disturbance to the residential area to the east of the building.

The hotel was initially approved in 2015. During the public hearing process then, neighbors also voiced opposition to saying the hotel would create noise in the adjacent residential area.

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