From the sidewalk, those passing by 115 E. Main St. can glimpse inside an empty building, where a drooping tarp and a whole lot of dust is visible.

But business owner Bryan Williams sees the space as the canvas for his next big project: Niles’ first brewery.

In the months to come, Williams plans to transform the 8,400-square-foot building into a craft brewery. With the project’s plans already underway, Williams hopes to be open for business sometime next year.

Williams is no stranger to owning and operating a Niles business. He is the owner of the Brass Eye, at 205 N. Second St., a local bar where customers can find a host of creative cocktails on the menu.

Williams will keep The Brass Eye open, where some of his staff have already been trained to help manage the business. For the brewery, Williams is expecting to hire between 20 to 25 people.

The time and market seemed right for the brewery, Williams said.

“Brewing beer is the most popular industry in Michigan,” Williams said. “Niles is the biggest city in Berrien County, but lacks that business. Someone needs to do it.”

In the brewery’s preliminary stage, there are a number of details that Williams said he cannot yet divulge at this time, including the brewery’s name and a special “twist” he said will give the brewery a unique vibe.

“There are breweries everywhere,” Williams said. “This one will be slightly different. This twist will be something extra to draw [people] in.”

What Williams did reveal is his plan to work with his friend and local brewer Zach Kline.

With Kline mixing up the beer batches, Williams said the brewery will offer customers a mix of craft beers brewed on location. A number of food items are also planned to round out the experience of a casual evening in downtown Niles.

A beer consultant will be hired to help Kline transform his recipes into brewery-sized quantities.

Among Kline’s recipes are a mix for a cherry lager and a jalapeno-inspired beer, called “Gypsy Heat.” While it is not set in stone, Williams said they hope to offer a seven to 10-barrel system.

Transforming the building, which has been used solely for storage for the last several years, is a project that will be no small feat.

The roof will need to be replaced, along with electric components, plumbing and some structural changes, in addition to a number of other items.

Repairs and renovations to create Williams distinct vision for the project will cost around $1.2 million. Williams said he plans to apply for several state and historic building grants to cover some of the cost. Additionally, he plans to divide the building, potentially selling or renting half to another business owner.

For Williams, the work is worth it to keep business in the downtown and give an old building, which once housed a Woolworth’s store, a second chance at life. With a number of businesses filling once vacant storefronts along the downtown stretch, Williams hopes the brewery will be yet another place to help put Niles on the map.

“We had talked about other buildings before I walked into the building,” Williams said, “But as soon as I walked in there, I knew this is the one. It’s blank slate, a big open space. A long time ago, it was a pillar to Niles, but has since fallen in disrepair.”

Williams hopes to incorporate some of the original tiling from Woolworth’s into the building’s design. He also said he could potentially create a roof top patio.

With Niles’ downtown seeing a number of new businesses in the past couple of months, including El Amigo Pepe, Healthy Habits and Top Heavy, Williams said he sees great potential in Niles downtown.

“Everybody is coming back to downtown, and it’s a good movement,” Williams said. “There’s a lot of focus on the downtown.”

In the weeks to come, Williams said he is not wasting anytime getting the project off the ground. First on his checklist is getting the roof repaired. Until then, Williams will be working out the kinks and envisioning his new business serving as a place to draw people from any destination to enjoy a cold brew with friends.

“We are not messing around,” Williams said.