DENISON, TX -- The Denison City Council approved rezoning a piece of land near Loy Lake as commercial, so two residents can open a local distillery.

Two brothers - Jonathan and Robert Likarish - plan to buy a 2-acre track of land near Loy Lake to open their micro-distillery.

"The idea first came about when we were on vacation in Washington State," Robert Likarish said. "We visited a distillery in Spokane Washington, and the idea just kind of flourished form there."

Tonight, they're asking the City Council to re-zone the area to commercial use.

Planning and Zoning Director Faye Brockett said the board is recommending re-zoning to the council.

"I think this development will be good for the city," she said. We're real excited about the development, and hope everything goes through."

Likarish said they'll make whiskey, gin and vodka.

"We're gonna use some traditional style whiskeys, but we're gonna add a Texas flair to it," he said.

If the council approves re-zoning, Likarish said the Red River Republic Distillery should open in the spring. They'll have the first batches of gin and vodka by the summer.

"We'll actually be doing gin that's inspired by Texas botanicals. We'll be using Texas juniper and some other botanicals found around Texas to give some Texas flair to the gin," he said.

The building will be around 8,000 square feet. It'll include a tasting room and store.

Likarish said they plan to use local grains and ingredients.