Cape Coral’s last brewery closes due to lease hike

CENTERS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD SEE ALL THROUGH THE WEEKEND. >> I MEAN, WE’RE DEVASTATED TO HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR DOORS. >> TODAY, CAPE CORAL’S ONLY REMAINING BREWERY IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED SKY. THESE BEER WORKS SERVED ITS LAST CUSTOMERS YESTERDAY AFTER NEARLY 9 YEARS OF OPERATION. THE OWNER SAYS A MASSIVE LEAST HIKE LEFT THEM WITH NO PATH FORWARD. HE HAD PLANNED ON RETIRING AND EVEN HAS SUCCESS ARE READY. >> WITH THE NEW BUYER COMING TO TAKE OVER, WE HAVE A NEW LEASE AND OUR LEASE INCREASE WAS ASTRONOMICAL. IT WAS NEARLY 50% OF WHAT OUR OLD LEAST WAS ADDED TO THE OLDIES. >> EMPLOYEES SAY SCOTT, HE’S FOUGHT TO STAY SURVIVING HURRICANES THE PANDEMIC AND RISI

Scotty’s Bierwerks, the only remaining brewery in Cape Coral, closed its doors on Nov. 28 after nearly nine years, with the owner citing a massive lease hike as the reason for the closure.Mary Bellman, the marketing manager, expressed disappointment over the situation.”We’ve just seen the decline, unfortunately. And we obviously wanted to stick around so that the city of Cape Coral would have, you know, an anchor brewery that they could rely on to be here for many years to come. So that’s disappointing for sure,” she said.Bellman further explained the impact of the lease increase. “And with the new buyer coming in, to take over, we have a new lease, and our lease increase was astronomical. It was nearly 50% of what our old lease was added to the old lease,” she said.Employees said Scotty’s fought to stay open, surviving hurricanes, the pandemic, and rising supply costs, but in the end, rent became the final straw. Nov. 28 was their last day.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

CAPE CORAL, Fla. —

Scotty’s Bierwerks, the only remaining brewery in Cape Coral, closed its doors on Nov. 28 after nearly nine years, with the owner citing a massive lease hike as the reason for the closure.

Mary Bellman, the marketing manager, expressed disappointment over the situation.

“We’ve just seen the decline, unfortunately. And we obviously wanted to stick around so that the city of Cape Coral would have, you know, an anchor brewery that they could rely on to be here for many years to come. So that’s disappointing for sure,” she said.

Bellman further explained the impact of the lease increase. “And with the new buyer coming in, to take over, we have a new lease, and our lease increase was astronomical. It was nearly 50% of what our old lease was added to the old lease,” she said.

Employees said Scotty’s fought to stay open, surviving hurricanes, the pandemic, and rising supply costs, but in the end, rent became the final straw. Nov. 28 was their last day.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.