USA, OR: Lazy Days Brewing to take over Ex Novo Brewing’s two Oregon locations

After months of not knowing the fate of Ex Novo Brewing’s two Oregon locations, a new company has announced the purchase of those pubs and has started to rebrand them, Willamette Week reported on December 20.

Lazy Days Brewing, a startup formed by four longtime friends, officially took over the Ex Novo flagship at 2326 N Flint Ave. in Portland and the Beaverton pizzeria at 4505 SW Watson Ave. on Dec. 20. The transition got underway with the reopening of the kitchen at the former location and the release of the aptly named “Turning Point Lager”—a beer the new owners collaborated on with Ex Novo.

In March, Ex Novo founder Joel Gregory shocked many in the local beer community by stating that he would be pulling out of Oregon to focus on the brewery’s operations in New Mexico—his home state where he had returned to in recent years. After several months on the market, it was unclear what would ultimately happen to the businesses.

Now we know that the pubs will live on as Lazy Days under the ownership of Ryan Still, Kyle Boylan, Jake Elder and Doug Kutela. The latter two have experience in the brewing industry—Elder worked in beer production at Pelican Brewing on the coast, while Kutela held the role of co-owner at Cascade Lakes Brewing in Central Oregon.

So what can you expect at the Lazy Days? Well, Ex Novo beer, for starters.

Through a contract agreement, the new owners can continue to make several of the old brand’s ales—welcome news for any longtime fan who doesn’t have immediate travel plans to New Mexico. The new company will also begin rolling out its own beverages in the coming months. You can also expect new signage and a limited menu at the Portland location to start.

“We are so excited that this is coming together like it has been,” co-founder Ryan Still stated in a press release. “The sense of community with our staff and Ex Novo regulars is already happening so organically. It’s really a dream coming to life in real time. We appreciate Ex Novo’s contributions to these neighborhoods and the continued support from some amazing customers and look forward to continuing their legacy.”

The Portland food menu should be expanded by January 2024, while the Beaverton pub will add brunch service after the new year.

“We’re excited to continue a presence in the Northwest market through contract brewing, maintaining the same recipes, quality control, and brew system we’ve been using all along,” added Ex Novo founder Joel Gregory. “I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished in Oregon in the past nine-plus years—it was a great run, and it took a lot of grit from the team to keep it operational until we could pass the torch to Lazy Days. They will bring these beautiful spaces back to what they’re capable of. We wish tons of success to the Lazy Days team and look forward to seeing what they bring to the Oregon brewing scene.”

21 December, 2023