CHICAGO — Lagunitas informed its employees Thursday morning that it plans to close its brewery and tasting room.
The brewery, located in the 2600 block of West 17th Street in North Lawndale, opened in the summer of 2014. The company plans to move all brewing operations to its headquarters in Petaluma, California.
An employee, who WGN News is keeping anonymous, said management found out about the move Wednesday and the rest of the employees found out during an early morning meeting Thursday.
A press release issued in the afternoon indicates that the changes will affect 86 employees.
The statement said some employees will “retain remote positions” or relocate to California – but an internal letter obtained by WGN News indicates “a small number of employees will continue to work in the warehouse.”
The employee told WGN News he attributed the culture’s decline to Heineken’s takeover of the company — which was finalized in 2017.
“I’ve seen our culture go from dying in an incubator to on its deathbed to ‘holy shit – ‘there’s been a lot of layoffs,'” the employee said. “It’s been pretty chaotic and rudderless.”
They said that while they were very disappointed, the craft beer industry as a whole was currently suffering.
The press release reflects this.
“The changes were driven by the need to future-proof the organization amid changing tides in the craft beverage industry. The transition will enable a more efficient and flexible supply chain, with a greater focus on innovation and the acceleration of more sustainable brewing practices,” Lagunitas said.
The closure will take place on August 1, according to the internal letter obtained by WGN News.
Lagunitas said Chicago remains a priority market for the company.
