Richmond's original Strangeways taproom to shut down
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Strangeways Brewing closed its original taproom on Dabney Road in Henrico after 12 years in business, the brewery announced over the weekend.
Why it matters: It's the latest local brewery to close amid a wave of craft brewery closures nationwide and a tighter market.
State of play: Founder Neil Burton opened Strangeways in 2013 as part of an early wave of local breweries that popped up after new state laws made it easier to do so.
- Back then, there were roughly 10 craft breweries in RVA. Now, there are dozens.
- Strangeways' Scotts Addition taproom will remain open, as will the brewery's Fredericksburg spot, per the social media post.
- The Williamsburg location will close Nov. 23.
What they're saying: Burton told BizSense that "outside forces" at the Dabney and Williamsburg locations and an "untenable" future drove the closures.
Zoom out: Craft beer production declined by 4% last year — the largest decrease in industry history, outside the pandemic, Axios' John Frank reported.
- And for the first time in 20 years the number of small, independent breweries operating in the U.S. decreased.
- A mid-year report from the Brewers Association, the industry's Colorado-based trade group, indicates that craft volume is down 5% year-over-year, with brewery closings outpacing openings.
Of note: The shuttering of Strangeways' Dabney location follows recent closures of other high profile local breweries, including Garden Grove Brewing, Kindred Spirit Brewing and Anytime Beer Co., all of which closed in May.