After years of vacancy, the old Rathskeller space in downtown Chapel Hill has a new tenant

After years of sitting empty, the once-beloved Ramshead Rathskeller restaurant in a Franklin Street alley in Chapel Hill will soon be home to a Raleigh brewery looking to show off its expansive beer list.

Gizmo Brew Works is planning a 4,500-square-foot taproom in the basement that was home to Rathskeller since the 1940s.

Co-owner Bryan Williams says there is no firm opening date yet, but Gizmo is aiming for May. Renovations will take place throughout the winter and spring, transforming the subterranean…