Marin Brewing Company Shutting Down After 3 Decades Due To Pandemic Struggles

LARKSPUR (KPIX 5) – The Marin Brewing Company has been an institution in the North Bay for almost 33 years. This week, the owner announced the restaurant and brewery would be forced to close at the end of the month.

"We love you all. We're going to miss you, and we're going to miss what this place was, a real community hub," brewery owner Brendan Moylan told KPIX 5.

Moylan says the impact of the pandemic was just too much for the business to bear.  The brewery is behind on rent because of lost income due to COVID restrictions.

The owner also said there's more competition among breweries. When he first opened, there were only 25 microbreweries in California, but now there are more than 1,000.

According to Moylan, the final straw was when he wasn't able to get any help from the almost $30-billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

"Some of the hardest parts about closing is just knowing that you're going to have to tell 50 people that they're not going to have a job anymore," said Moylan.

Elizabeth Doyle, a former brewery employee, said her roommate is one of the servers who will be losing her job at the end of the month.

"I might have to stop by a couple more times before they actually close because we've done like this exact thing so many times that to not be able to do it anymore is going to be really weird," she said.

Doyle said it will be difficult for both of them to say goodbye to a place that holds so many fond memories.

Todd Ray is one of the regulars who hangs out with a group of guys at the end of the bar on most Thursday and Friday nights. He says he still remembers bringing his son to the brewery when his son was still a toddler.

"Probably been coming here since early '90s, late '80s when it first opened," said Ray.

The last day of business for Marin Brewing Company is on January 31. Moylan's other business, Moylan Brewery and Restaurant in Novato, will stay open.