Business

RESTAURANT ROUNDUP: Crowded craft beer scene claims first casualty

By Bill Moss, Published: September 14, 2017

Brief hed

Crowded craft beer
scene claims casualty

As if to signify the financial risks of the food and beverage business, Brooks Tavern is opening just as Basic Brewery, across the street, closed its doors on Sept. 3. The increasingly competitive and crowded microbrewery scene claimed its first casualty downtown when the owners announced that Basic has closed.
Started a year and half ago by Linda and Rich Wenger, Basic Brewery went up against the established Southern Appalachian and Sanctuary Brewing Co. and also competed with Flat Rock Cider Works on Main Street. Two more microbreweries are planning to open by the end of the year — Triskelion on Seventh Avenue and Dry Falls in the old Oates Paint and Body Shop on Kanuga Road’s Busy Bend.
“As many of you know Rich has continued to work fulltime in Greenville, S.C., in addition to co-owning our brewery in Hendersonville,” the owners said in a note on the brewpub’s door. “That daily commute and those job responsibilities along with an ongoing health issue in the family are the reasons for our decision to close.
“We are at peace with our decision and very much look forward to our future endeavors,” the couple said. “A huge thank you to all those wonderful individuals who supported and really appreciated our nanobrewery and our beers.”