Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
The owner of a long-running craft brewery in Ottawa says he’s “heartbroken” that he has to close the business he started 16 years ago.
The Kichesippi Beer Company, one of the Ottawa’s older craft breweries, announced it’s closing its doors later this week.
“I feel like I’ve let people down,” said owner Paul Meek. “I know that we’ve had a really nice time and we made a special place and a special product for people to enjoy, but I’m disappointed in myself and I’m disappointed that we can’t continue this wonderful thing that we created.”
Meek said the brewery has been operating at a loss for some time. Friday will mark its last day in business.
Meek and his wife started the business in 2010 because they wanted to “create something that Ottawa could be proud of,” he said. They moved to the current location in Bells Corners in 2019, taking on about $1 million in debt.
“A couple months later COVID kicked our bums, and then we’ve been trying to dig out of that hole ever since,” Meek said.
Meek moved the brewery to Bells Corners in 2019, taking on $1 million in debt in the process. Then COVID hit. (Nathan Fung/CBC)
Meek said a number of other factors played into his decision, including tariffs on aluminum and a general decline in disposable income among the beer-drinking public.
Jason Foster, an Edmonton-based beer industry writer and analyst, said craft breweries exploded across Canada 15 years ago, but are now under significant pressure.
“We have all these breweries and the size of the pie is shrinking,” he said. “You could appreciate that there’s a natural dynamic there where not everybody’s going to make it, because there’s fewer consumer dollars floating around.”
Foster pointed to other recent closures across Canada, like Halifax’s 2 Crows Brewing and Victoria’s Lighthouse Brewing Company.
Brewery’s demise will ‘leave a big void’
News of the brewery’s pending closure came as a shock to some loyal customers. Teal Narraway said she’s been a regular at the taproom’s weekly “babies and brews” event during her last two maternity leaves.
“I think it’ll leave a big void,” she said. “I think this just shows why it is so important to support local because … it’s a shock. We didn’t know it was closing down.”
Teal Narraway said she was shocked by news of the brewery’s closure, saying it will ‘leave a big void.’ (Nathan Fung/CBC)
Meek said he’s now focused on tying up loose ends like paying his staff and his suppliers before figuring out what’s next. He said he’s heartened that his brewery meant so much to so many in the community.
“I definitely underestimated how special that was for people,” Meek said. “The amount of people that are coming in saying, ‘I’m so sad … we love this place, it’s important to myself, my family.’ The response has been absolutely amazing.”