Great Lakes Region Brewery Closures (2020)

I am just praying that my place won't be a victim. Word from the boss is that we're hoping to reopen in late June or early July. We're a dine-in cinema and brewery, so we're double fucked.

 

The SBA offers loans especially to deal with this pandemic affecting all small businesses.

 

Yea. Not working so well. Federal government underestimated what was needed.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/payche...mall-businesses-large-companies-coroanvirus/#

 

Didn’t hear about that one

 

As someone that has become very familiar with the PPP program, I can say it was administered very poorly. Not to mention all the funds ($350B) are gone, and what they are thinking of adding ($120B) for additional funding will be gone quickly. True "small businesses" had a difficult time accessing this program for the most part.

 

How about changing title to "Great Lakes Region Brewery Closures"? I thought Great Lakes Brewing Co. had closed...lol.

Very sad. I remember seeing them at Hoptacular back in like 2010 when Chicago had a handful of breweries...and somehow I've never had one of their beers. I think that says everything about the situation.

I don't wish ill fortune on anyone, but others breweries going out of business will probably be inevitable. I bet Pipeworks is glad they don't have their brewpub open yet in this business climate. I also hope that Hop Butcher, not having the overhead of some of these other places and a business model conducive to a pandemic, is able to grab a place like Argus on the cheap and come out of this with their own brewery.

 

This is spot on. I did not apply since my business is doing ok, so I figured I would let others less fortunate apply. However, the funds are gone and much of it was gobbled up by larger "small" businesses. That being said, breweries are allowed to be open in IL and alcohol consumption is drastically increased right now. My neighbor (who owns a brewery) said they are doing just fine because the to-go sales have exponentially increased. It isn't the breweries that are really affected right now, it is the employees that aren't getting tips from draft pours, etc.

 

This thread is sad, or will be sad.

I'd be equally interested in a thread about what deals/packages breweries are promoting right now as well.

 

It is our responsibility to tip the people delivering the packaged beer to our cars in the parking lot then.

 

Hell with 400+ beers at that ABV you can only hit so many even irresponsibly!

 

Agreed. I have been giving out 5's, 10's or 20's and 90% of the employees have been extremely grateful. It is nice to see...

 

I spoke with someone from one of my distributors yesterday about this and there are some smaller breweries in MI that are on the ropes right now. Not going to name names and start any rumors but this whole situation is speeding up the thinning of the herd that was happening before anybody ever heard of Covid.

 

I have no doubt that more than a handful will close the doors, particularly those that are maybe just a year or so in and haven't had a chance to build a reputation, and a bank account. Argus closing is not shocking however. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they do pretty much do just 'private label' beer for local bars?("Ballydoyle Irish Red etc etc)..

 

Great article. If this goes on for a few years we could all be deciding between Miller or Bud again as few places with be capitalized enough to survive this.