USA, MI: Axle Brewing Co. to close its doors at the end of June

After two years of business, Ferndale brewery and taproom Axle Brewing Co. plans to close its doors at the end of this month, The Detroit News reported on June 7.

Axle Brewing Co. production facility and Livernois Tap restaurant and tap room debuted in June 2017. The 10,000-square-foot brewery and restaurant was well-received by the neighborhood and earned kudos for its chef-driven menu and creative craft beers, some which are canned and distributed around the area.

Those things weren't enough to make ends meet, apparently. A lengthy post to Facebook Friday evening explains the reason for closing is partially because there does not appear to be "a clear path to profitability with our current cost structure and very lean margins on the distribution side of our business in the near term."

Construction also appeared to be a hindrance.

"We are grateful for the support from the city of Ferndale, our neighbors and the resilience of our staff during the six months of road construction we endured last summer and fall, but it definitely took a toll on our revenue and arrested the substantial momentum we had rolling into our first birthday last June."

In the statement, owner Dan Riley and team thanked customers and neighbors and invited folks to come in and raise a glass over the next few weeks before closing.

This may not be the end, though. The hope is to find a "strategic partner or buyer" and keep the tap room, beer garden and production facility going.

"We’ve had a few conversations with companies we respect about partnering or acquiring us, but it’s important for us to entertain all possible options & be transparent about our intentions in order to work thru the process openly," according to the statement.

Axle Brewing Co. and Livernois Tap is at 567 Livernois, Ferndale. It's open 4-10 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 4-11 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat. and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.

09 June, 2019