At the time of reporting, no plans have been stated for what will replace the taproom on Central Ave. (Davis Steen)
On Sunday, Dec. 7, Fair State Brewing Cooperative closed its Central Avenue taproom, 2506 Central Ave NE. That said, its brewing operations will carry on.
In a Dec. 8 Facebook post, Fair State Brewing posted a series of photos explaining what they could do. They’ll still be brewing and selling beers, seltzers and non-alcoholic drinks on shelves and on tap. Their St. Paul production facility will continue to operate. “Stay tuned for what’s next…”
“Fair State has been in a very challenging situation since the pandemic,” Co-Founder Evan Sallee told the Northeaster in response to a series of emailed questions. “It remains extremely difficult for breweries, bars, restaurants and other small businesses throughout the state and country.”
That sentiment rings true. Recent reports indicate a decline for the craft brewery scene. The Brewers Association, which represents small and independent craft brewers in the U.S., said that 2024 was the first year since 2005 that the number of shuttering breweries outpaced brewery openings
nationwide. Meanwhile, a Gallup Poll released this past summer showed that “…the percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, the lowest by one percentage point in Gallup’s nearly 90-year trend.”
On Saturday, Dec. 6, Charlie Tonks, a bartender who worked at the taproom since it opened in 2014, called his time at the establishment “a nice run” and said the closure was “a surprise to everyone here.”
“I got here at 2:00,” he said, adding that they had “a line to the door” for just south of six hours. “It’s been super busy. A lot of people that I’ve known for years have come in and shown support.”
While Sallee couldn’t immediately respond to the question as to what’s on the horizon for the brewery relative to the taproom shutting down, he emphasized how grateful he and the other co-founders are to the community for their support.
“We had some of the very best staff in the industry. People met at our taproom, fell in love, got married, and had children. Two of our members got married at our taproom,” Sallee said. “Entire friend groups were formed. It is the honor of my life to have had a part in creating a place that touched people’s lives in that way.”
In a post on social media on Thursday, Dec. 11, Farina Rossa, the pizzeria that operates out of the taproom, said they are working on fast-tracking licensure, adding that they “should be back to serving (customers) again soon!”
