USA, NM: Couple launches Resource Brewing in Albuquerque

Starting a business may not sound like the best idea right now, but for Shawn and Stephanie Wright, they think they’re onto something, KOB reported on November 29.

"In times like this, there's really no right answer. A lot of it is just, like, ‘Let's try it and see how it plays out,’” said Stephanie Wright.

Shawn and Stephanie Wright opened Resource Brewing Co. near Candelaria and Eubank a little more than a month ago.

"And we had a good, you know, four weeks, maybe five, of people inside and outside. And starting to kind of build some connections to this local neighborhood that we're in,” Shawn said.

The couples’ decision to open their brewery in Albuquerque started more than two years ago. After finding a location, making renovations, and perfecting the brews—they forged ahead.

"Not knowing what the landscape was going to look like was kind of some tense conversations. We decided in October to open anyways,” Shawn said.

Even if COVID restrictions change, Resource Brewing Co. said they’ll be remaining to-go only until things improve.

"This is some peoples' pure livelihood, and it is, it's a really scary time,” said Leah Black, executive director of the New Mexico Brewers Guild.

All breweries in the state are currently limited to to-go only. As the state gets ready to move into a three-tiered reopening system, Black said even that may not bring immediate relief.

"If the new tier system begins and say a brewery is allowed to open in whatever county they're in, if it's the appropriate color they can open at 25%. Some breweries, that's only like 12-24 people, and then you have to bring on another staff member and it's almost operating at a loss,” she said.

Black said she’s aware of the four Albuquerque breweries that have permanently closed, but she also knows that four more have opened.

"We can look at it in two ways. We can say, ‘Oh that's really not what we wanted and that stinks,’” Shawn said.

At Resource Brewing Co., the Wrights have made their decision to look at the glass half full.

"Or we can look at it and say, ‘You know what, there's really nowhere else to go, but up from here.’ And if we can get through at least the next four or five months then things will most likely start looking up,” Shawn said.

30 November, 2020