Cold beer, warm summer nights, and a neighborhood park pulling double duty as a weekend hangout spot could be in West Allis’ future. City officials are weighing a proposal from Third Space Brewing to run a seasonal beer garden at Liberty Heights Park during the summer of 2026. The plan would tap the park’s recently built pavilion to pour draft beer, rotating taps, canned wine and ready-to-drink cocktails on select Friday and Saturday evenings. Third Space says it would operate roughly two nights a week across 26 dates between early June and late August. Any plan would still need city approval before alcohol sales could begin.
As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the brewery’s agenda packet outlines a season running Fridays from 4–9 p.m. and Saturdays from 3–9 p.m., from June 5 through Aug. 29, 2026. The materials say the operation would feature limited snacks, music and rotating taps from other West Allis breweries. Alcohol service could be handled either through an indoor concession window in the pavilion or via an outdoor beer trailer, according to the proposal.
Third Space's track record
Third Space, founded in 2016 by Andy Gehl and Kevin Wright, operates a taproom on W. St. Paul Avenue and has expanded into pop-up beer-garden programming around the region, according to Third Space Brewing. The brewery’s résumé also includes a gold medal at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival for its “Pretty Good” Amber, as noted by Marquette University Athletics. That combination of local roots and hardware is a central selling point in the company’s pitch to West Allis officials.
City upgrades and the pavilion
Liberty Heights Park, a 6.5-acre neighborhood green space with a wading pool, softball field, and basketball, tennis and sand-volleyball courts, received a new pavilion in 2025. The city says it is finalizing occupancy approvals and restroom access for the structure. According to the City of West Allis, the pavilion’s indoor concession window is a key piece of Third Space’s concept. If the council signs off, that window or an approved outdoor trailer would be used for alcohol service.
Costs, contract and council timeline
Third Space’s proposal pegs its startup investment at more than $35,000 and requests at least a three-year contract, with an option to modify or terminate after the first year, according to the agenda packet. The company has also told city officials the Common Council would need to approve a full-service retail outlet permit so alcohol could be sold in the park under its state brewery license. As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Third Space was scheduled to present the proposal on Feb. 24, and the item could land on the council’s March 10 agenda for potential action.
How it fits in the local beer-garden scene
Seasonal beer gardens are already a staple in Milwaukee County and nearby suburbs, from village-run setups to Milwaukee County’s roving taps. Third Space has experience running pop-ups in suburbs such as Elm Grove, and those efforts are cited as examples of how private operators can team up with local parks to create weekend activity and generate modest revenue for municipalities. The county’s program is detailed by the Milwaukee County Traveling Beer Garden, with Elm Grove’s own village beer-garden page also noted as a reference point.
Next steps: if the Common Council moves the Liberty Heights item forward, staff would spell out specific conditions and dates for the 2026 season. Residents can track agendas and meeting packets on the City of West Allis calendar or follow the city’s live updates. The council’s public process will ultimately decide whether Liberty Heights adds a weekend beer garden to its summer lineup.
