The Marietta Brewing Company, a popular Front Street fixture until it recently shut down due to foreclosure, is set to be sold at public auction Jan. 15 at the Washington County Courthouse.

Attorney Jim Huggins, who is representing the lien holders in the case, said his office has received several telephone calls from interested buyers within the past few weeks.

"We've had two or three phone calls from legitimate entrepreneurs who are interested in reopening a business there," Huggins said. "Just based on the appraisal, which was lower than I expected, I think it's going to sell. I know we're all hopeful (the brewery) will reopen."

The starting bid for the property, located at 167 Front St., is set at $168,000, which is two-thirds of the appraised value.

Huggins said the sale includes the building and brewing tanks located at the front of the building. The remaining fixtures, equipment and inventory will be offered to the winning bidder for an additional $60,000, but that offer is subject to approval of other lien holders and Brewery owner Kevin Laughery.

"I think Kevin will agree with that amount; that's the appraisal we got," Huggins said. "He still owns the forks and everything else in the building, but still, the other lien holders could object to that amount. We would just hash that out."

The business, which employed 25 to 30 people, owes nearly $700,000 to several lenders and government agencies, court records show.

Of the amount, as much as $400,000 is owed in federal back taxes as well as $33,342 to the Ohio Department of Taxation and $15,368 to a food service company.

The state taxes that are owed interfered with the Brewing Company's state liquor license renewal, which was set to expire in October. The company was granted a one-month extension and then a stay that would enable the business to continue serving alcohol until its tax case was heard. The business ultimately closed Nov. 30.

Laughery could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but previously stated he hoped to negotiate a sale to prevent the business from closing.

Court records indicate the brewery went into bankruptcy in 2001 and again briefly in 2008. Failure to comply with the court orders out of the bankruptcy hearings and continued tax issues forced this month's sale, Huggins said.

The local unpaid real estate taxes will be paid first from the sale of the property, Huggins said. The lending institutions will be paid second and what's left over, if anything, would go toward state and federal taxes that are owed, Huggins said.

Local real estate taxes owed on the property total about $33,000.

It all means the liquor license, which isn't included in the sale of the business, isn't likely to be transferred easily to the new owner.

"It's not going to transfer unless the back sales tax and worker's compensation is paid," Huggins said. "From a collection standpoint, the state of Ohio is not going to allow a transfer of the liquor license with all the debt."

Matt Mullins, a spokesman with the Ohio Department of Commerce Department of Liquor Control, said a new owner should have no problem acquiring a license to make and sell mircobrews; however, getting other licenses to sell other beers, wines or spirits could be more difficult.

Mullins said a new buyer could pay off the past debt on the brewery license and attempt to transfer that license, attempt to "buy" or transfer a license from another defunct bar or apply for new permits. The problem is that the state has quotas, or limits, on the number of some types of liquor licenses.

"Still, there are ways to get permits, even if the quota is full," Mullins said.