By Eliza Sum
A car has slammed into a newly opened brewpub in Footscray’s former Franco Cozzo store, with its driver stealing a neon sign from the venue before fleeing the scene.
A Mazda SUV ram-raided the Moon Dog Wild West venue in Hopkins Road about 1.20am on Tuesday.
Moon Dog co-owner Karl van Buuren told ABC Radio Melbourne that cleaners were inside the venue when the car smashed through, but no one was hurt.
“The person then got out of the car and took one of our … western-themed neon signs and hightailed it out of there,” he said.
Police at the scene where a car crashed into the former Franco Cozzo store.Credit: Nine News
The brewers operate two other venues – Moon Dog OG in Abbotsford and Moon Dog World in Preston – but the Footscray pub caused controversy when it was announced.
The triple-storey themed venue fits 800 people and has a mechanical bucking bull, faux western shopfronts and horseshoe-shaped booths. Residents feared it would exacerbate problems with parking, traffic and noise pollution in the inner western suburb, but Maribyrnong Council ultimately gave the venue the green light in late 2023.
When asked if the burglary could be an act of retaliation by residents who previously protested against Wild West, van Buuren said: “Absolutely not.”
Firefighters at the scene after a car slammed into Moon Dog Wild West.Credit: Nine News
“That’s not the kind of thing that they would do. We’ve worked with the residents from day one to provide an amazing place, to provide an amazing bar for the community and to increase the amenity of that area,” he said.
“To be honest, it could even be a fan. [Maybe] they wanted a piece of nostalgia from the venue.”
The venue confirmed it would open as normal at 3pm on Tuesday, after the damage was assessed.
The ram-raid is another blow to Moon Dog Wild West after its opening was beset with delays.
The brewer’s first venue in the western suburbs was meant to launch on April 17 but was forced to turn away hundreds of guests just 10 minutes before opening due to a dispute with the council over a fire hydrant.
The first beers were finally poured at Wild West more than a week later when it opened on April 26.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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