Geneva Winery Opens New Location In Storied Batavia Building

BATAVIA, IL — Geneva Winery officially unveiled its new, extensively renovated space in Batavia.

The Batavia Chamber of Commerce held a grand-opening ceremony April 18 for the winery at 5 N. River St.

"Geneva Winery emerged from a group of friends' passion for wine - a symbol of camaraderie, from toasting glasses to sharing bottles," Chamber officials said in a news release.

Geneva Winery expanded to Batavia after first opening Geneva Winery and Tasting Room at 426 S. Third St. in Geneva in 2020. Three years later, in September 2023, it grew to include Geneva Winery Bistro and Wine Bar at 407 S. Third St. in downtown Geneva.

A fourth space is currently underway in Elburn and includes a 6.5-acre farm with a vineyard, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune.

Geneva Winery's new Batsvia space has a storied history. According to the Batavia Depot Muesum, it dates back to 1885 when it operated as a blacksmith shop before becoming a livery business, caring for horses and wagons, in 1897. In 1916, it transitioned to house Batavia Rug Works before again changing to Hanlon Button Service in 1940. By 1977, the space was occupied by the popular Alison's Restaurant, which served bar food and burgers until its closure in 1999.

The Batavia location features a large event space overlooking the Fox River, a wine bar and plenty of seating. Upon entering, guests will be greeted in a well-stocked merchandise room, Chamber officials said.

"Our niche is a little small town," owner Brent Copstead told the Chicago Tribune. "We're kind of like a microbrewery downtown where locals can come and enjoy a glass of wine and hang out with their friends. Batavia is the same thing. What Batavia also offered unlike Geneva is a lot more indoor seating. We’re going from a 1,300-square-foot facility in Geneva to a 5,000-square-foot facility here which allows us to have more indoor seating and get us through the slower months in the winter."