USA, CA: Fort Point Beer Company decides to close

When Fort Point Beer Company first took over for Black Sands Brewery in Lower Haight, the brewery owners were excited to push forward their expansion plans in yet another San Francisco neighborhood, Justin Catalana, Fort Point co-founder and CEO, told SFGATE in an email. Unfortunately, as it did to many, COVID-19 threw a wrench in their plans. With the new location requiring further investment and another renovation to fully become what the company envisioned, Fort Point ultimately made the decision to close.

"As San Francisco’s hometown brewery, we’ll be focused on making our primary retail locations, Valencia and Ferry Building, even better, and rebuilding our wholesale business as the city comes back to life," Catalana said. "While we're sad to say goodbye to Lower Haight, we're energized to keep our focus on the San Francisco market, and we're grateful to our community in Lower Haight and beyond for their support over the years."

After a two and a half year tenure on Haight Street, the Fort Point Beer Company poured its final rounds at its Lower Haight location. On Monday, the San Francisco-based brewery announced on Instagram that Sunday, June 26, was its final day of service.

“While it’s bittersweet to say goodbye, this means we can devote more time, effort, and resources into our Ferry Building Beer Garden and Valencia Beer Hall,” the company wrote in its post.

Fort Point, whose brewery is located in the Presidio, has exploded in popularity since its founding in 2014 thanks to a series of unique decisions. Now known for its canned craft beer, which fashions intricate colors and patterns, the company sits among the largest manufacturers in the city and offers brewery-to-door beer delivery, including a one-hour delivery time in San Francisco.

Two of Fort Point's San Francisco locations remain open following the closure. At the Ferry Building, Fort Point operates out of a kiosk facing the Embarcadero. The company's Valencia Street pub serves as its flagship beer hall and enjoyed a successful reopening earlier this year. The brewery, stationed in the Mission just a mile east of the now-closed Lower Haight site, was forced into shutdown due to COVID-19 just months after opening in fall 2019.

The Haight Street location was originally Black Sands Brewery until Fort Point purchased the restaurant in late 2018. The brewery closed in early 2020 for renovation, but the planned changes were never completed because of the onset of the pandemic. Fort Point opened a small parklet at the site instead in April 2021.

The decision to close down on Haight Street comes nearly a year after Fort Point shut down its very first brewery, located in Marin. There, the beer company had a much longer tenure of 11 years. Fort Point Beer Company could not be immediately reached for additional comment.

30 June, 2022