Exciting New Development in St. Johns County: Madi Rum's New Project

Madi Rum, a local maker of vanilla-spiced rum, is planning a new development in St. Johns County. The project will include a two-story restaurant, bakery, distillery, and greenhouses on 6 acres of land.

Project Details

MAI Engineering Services submitted the project plans to the county on June 4, and the St. Johns County Development Review Committee discussed them on July 10. The project is led by Shane Shetler and Travis James, who also own and operate Madi Rum.

Site Features

The development will feature:

• An 11,000-square-foot restaurant with a gift shop

• A 10,000-square-foot distillery

• A 10,000-square-foot bakery

• A 5,500-square-foot maintenance building

A pond with a waterfall and an airplane design at its center.

The plan also includes a 7,000-square-foot "Green House Madagascar Experience," a 2,800-square-foot vanilla orchard greenhouse, sugar cane and cactus fields, a tortoise area, cabanas, and bench seating.

Additional Details

The restaurant will have a tropical-themed menu developed in-house. The brothers’ family also owns several restaurants in St. Augustine, including Pizzalley’s Chianti Room and Prohibition Kitchen.

County Requirements

The county has requested some changes to the plans, including a Wetland Delineation Report and an Environmental Resource Permit from the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Timeline and Background

Shane Sheltra, who bought the property in 2021 for $625,000, co-founded Madi Rum with Travis James in 2016. The project might take over two years to develop, but a quicker timeline is preferred. Madi Rum is known for its vanilla-spiced rum, made with beans from Madagascar.

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new development!