Lagunitas Brewing Company announced it will close its Chicago brewing operations and tasting room later this summer, after more than a decade in the Douglas Park neighborhood.
Lagunitas will consolidate its brewing operations to its original headquarters in California and close its brewery, which served dozens of different beers and had been a neighborhood staple since April 2014, according to a letter sent to employees.
Officials said the brewery’s Chicago warehouse will remain open.
“We are committed to managing this transition thoughtfully, smoothly and with deep respect for our valued Chicago Lagunitas employees,” a spokesperson told NBC Chicago.
Some of the company’s 86 Chicago-based employees will work remotely for the company or relocate to California. The company also offers starter packages, including job placement assistance, according to a spokesperson.
The taproom first opened in April 2014, but closed during the COVID pandemic. It reopened with great fanfare last spring, but will cease operations later this year.
According to the company, the changes were “driven by the need to future-proof” the organization, increasing the efficiency of its supply chain and placing greater emphasis on “sustainable brewing practices.”
The exact closing date has not yet been announced.
Lagunitas was founded in California in 1993 and was one of the first brewing companies to mass produce India Pale Ales, which helped jumpstart the craft brewery movement in the United States. The company was purchased by Heineken in 2015.
NBC Chicago
