EXCLUSIVE: Bronx Brewery closing South Bronx location after Feb. 8

The South Bronx location of the Bronx Brewery will close after Sunday, Feb. 8, the Bronx Times has learned.

The company has not yet announced the closure, but it was confirmed by three staff members, two of whom said they found out just days in advance. Staff also said the Hudson Yards location will remain open and that the Bronx Brewery brand itself will continue.

Bronx Brewery’s general manager and owner of Captain Lawrence did not respond to request for comment in time for publication.

The brewery, located at 856 East 136th Street in the Port Morris neighborhood, has faced challenges in recent years. In October 2024, it merged with Westchester-based Captain Lawrence Brewing Company and ceased beer production in the South Bronx, marking a major shift for the company.

A number of factors influenced the decision, including increased costs of supplies, production and labor, the lack of foot traffic in the mostly-industrial neighborhood, and a nationwide downward trend in beer consumption, according to the owners of Bronx Brewery and Captain Lawrence at the time.

But following the merger, the South Bronx tap room remained open and regularly hosted events large and small in the backyard and on the revamped indoor event floor. These included trivia, Bad Bunny concert watch party, live music and DJs, salsa, small business pop-ups, events honoring the LGBTQIA+ community and much more.

Staff expressed sadness over the loss of a prominent, community-centered third space, one of few in the area.

One staff member said he was not surprised by the closure but thought he would have received more notice.

“It was a decision that I saw written on the wall from the moment they were bought out over a year ago. It never really felt like the owners ever gave it a shot to begin with,” said the employee in text messages to the Bronx Times. “I don’t like the decision, I think it’s a huge blow to the community.”

The Bronx Times obtained an email from the manager to staff that read, in part, “We were on track to achieve amazing things this year, but unfortunately, the company has been struggling financially for quite some time. Despite our best efforts, the owners have decided that we can no longer sustain the financial losses.”