Northern United Brewing Co. Co-founders and co-CEOs Jon Carlson and Greg Lobdell and CEO Tony Grant pose for a photo inside the new Jolly Pumpkin location in Detroit.

BAY CITY, MI -- When the Stein Haus closed its doors in downtown Bay City on Oct. 1, its owners said a developer with Bay City ties had big plans to buy the building and rejuvenate the property.

A liquor license application filed at Bay City Hall is now shedding light on who that developer is and what former patrons of the downtown pub and restaurant space could expect in the future.

Northern United Brewing Co. LLC, the company behind the Grizzly Peak and North Peak families of craft beer and operators of the Jolly Pumpkin microbreweries and restaurants in Traverse City, Ann Arbor and Detroit, recently filed a liquor license application here, which goes before the Bay City Commission at its 7:30 p.m. meeting Monday, Dec. 19.

The brewing company is asking for a new micro brewer license, new small wine maker license and a new small distillery license. Additionally, the developers are requesting Sunday sales in the morning and afternoon, an entertainment permit and outdoor service area permit.

The address on the application is 105 Third St. -- the address of the former Atrium restaurant, which closed last March -- and 1100-1108 N. Water St., which is the address of the connecting Stein Haus pub.

The Bay City Times/MLive.com sent messages to Northern United Brewing Co. co-founder Jon Carlson and CEO Tony Grant seeking comment.

Bill and Elaine Fournier, owners of the Stein Haus and Atrium, closed the pub and restaurant as they prepare for retirement. Their daughter, Michelle Judd, who is the company's marketing manager, declined to comment.

While the application doesn't specifically mention what the brewery and restaurant is going to be called, the PDF file of the application included in the Bay City Commission's agenda packet was saved as "Jolly Pumpkin Resolution."

Sara Dimitroff, economic development project manager for Bay City, said in a text message to The Times she is not working with Northern United Brewing Co., but added, "Obviously we are very excited they are coming to Bay City, but I don't have any information on their plan."

Candace Bales, executive director of the Bay City Downtown Development Authority, said she has heard chatter around town about plans for the Stein Haus, but added nothing specific has been communicated to her.

If a Jolly Pumpkin Bay City location is imminent, it would mark a busy year for the brewery best known for its sour ales. The company announced in October that it was expanding into Chicago in summer 2017. The Chicago Tribune reported the brewpub is going to be located at 5251 S. Harper Court in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

President Barack Obama has lunch at the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery in Detroit, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016, with Teana Dowdell, autoworker at the General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, left, Dr. Tolulope Sonuyi, Emergency medicine physician engaged with Detroit youth through violence prevention and intervention programs, part of Detroit's efforts around the My Brother's Keeper initiative, center, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, right, obscured, and Tom Kartsotis, Founder, Shinola.

In January, President Barack Obama had lunch at the Jolly Pumpkin Pizzeria and Brewery in Detroit's Cass Corridor before attending the North American International Auto Show.

Northern United Brewing Co., which was formed from three separate entities -- Grizzly Peak Brewing Co., Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales and North Peak Brewing Co. -- in 2008, is based in Dexter, near Ann Arbor. The company also produces wines and spirits.

The company prides itself on making its beers, spirits and wines in Michigan using ingredients grown in the state.

As for the Bay City connection that the Fourniers mentioned when they closed the Stein Haus?

Tony Grant, chief executive of Northern United Brewing Co., graduated from Bay City Western in 1997 where he was a star athlete. In 2015, he was inducted into the 2015 Bay County Sports Hall of Fame for his successful football career at Michigan State University as the Spartan's long snapper. He finished his collegiate career as the nation's top long-snapper and was invited to the Washington Redskins summer training camp in 2002.

MLive recently named Jolly Pumpkin's "La Roja" sour beer as a brew to "surprise your guests" with at Thanksgiving. In 2013, MLive's John "Gonzo" Gonzalez named the brewery as one of the state's top "longtime favorite breweries."