Business and Economic Development

Welcome Sketchbook Brewing Company to Skokie!

Mayor’s Van Dusen's Statement – Sketchbook Brewing Company's Expansion to Skokie:

In early September, the Village received confirmation that Sketchbook Brewing Company is planning to open a 14,000 square-foot brewery with an attached 2,000 square-foot taproom at 4901 Main Street in Skokie. This is an expansion from Sketchbook’s existing Evanston brewery and taproom, and we are very excited to welcome them to Skokie. The 4901 Main Street building where Sketchbook will be located is owned by Mark McCracken of PS Greetings, a decades-old Skokie manufacturing facility that recently expanded its operations on Searle Parkway to manufacture millions of holiday gift boxes as part of Walmart’s “Made in the USA” initiative. Within the last week, Mark McCracken entered into a lease with Sketchbook owners Shawn Decker and Cesar Marron for the new location that is situated on the south side of Main Street, just east of the Skokie Valley Multi-Use Trail. The site is close to Downtown Skokie, the Illinois Science + Technology Park, the CTA Yellow Line Oakton Street station and the multi-use trail, making it a very convenient location for both Skokie residents and employees who work in Downtown Skokie. Initial estimates are that the brewery will be finished sometime in mid-to-late spring 2020, with the taproom opening a few months later during the summer months. This announcement marks another significant advancement in redeveloping not only Downtown Skokie, but adjacent areas on Main Street and Skokie Boulevard. We are proud to welcome Sketchbook Brewing Company and its entrepreneurial owners!