Lompoc Brewing to Close Lompoc Tavern
Back in 1993 the Lompoc Brewing empire began when The Old Lompoc opened its doors as a tavern in Northwest Portland. Three years later it began brewing beer until it closed in 2012 as the building was leveled for a new mixed-use development. A year later it re-opened as the Lompoc Tavern and on September 26, 2018, it will close its doors for good.
The lease is being taken over by Tap & Table, a gastropub that currently has a location on SE Ankeny Street, at the former home of Coalition Brewing.
With this upcoming closure it leaves Lompoc Brewing with three locations that includes its brewery at the 5th Quadrant, Sidebar, and Oaks Bottom.
Here are additional details from Lompoc Brewing’s press release…
Lompoc Tavern’s 15 employees have all been informed of the impending closure. Many of the employees will interview for positions with Tap & Table; Lompoc is also working to find positions for staff at its remaining pubs, the 5th Quadrant, Oaks Bottom and Sidebar.
“The time has come for us to move on,” explained owner Jerry Fechter. “We’re embracing this as an opportunity to invest more time and attention on the remaining pubs and brewery, and making them the best that they can be.”
The Old Lompoc Tavern opened in 1993, and began producing handcrafted ales and lagers in 1996 under the direction of Fechter. The business was purchased by Fechter and Don Younger in May 2000 and renamed the New Old Lompoc. In 2012, the building was sold and razed, making way for a multi-use building with retail on the first floor and apartment units above. The new building opened one year later with a new address of 1620 NW 23rd Ave. and Lompoc Brewing re-established its ties to the neighborhood.
However, in the year Lompoc was closed, its late-night crowd found other places to go, and never returned. Over the last couple of years, it lost many of its regulars as well when a number of jobs moved out of the neighborhood.
“Running three individual pubs in three separate parts of our growing city has been a wonderful challenge,” stated Fechter. “We’ve enjoyed serving Portland’s distinct neighborhoods, but we feel we can do more with less.”
September 24 to September 26 will offer a limited menu at Lompoc Tavern with many of its classic beers on tap. The public is encouraged to come by one last time to share memories and say goodbye.
About Lompoc Brewing
Established in 1996, Lompoc Brewing is a longtime Portland favorite that brews eight year-round beers and an ever-rotating lineup of seasonals. You can find Lompoc in bottles, cans and on draft at locations throughout Oregon and Washington, and at its three Portland neighborhood pubs: 5th Quadrant and Sidebar in North Portland, and Oaks Bottom in Southeast. Lompoc beers are proudly brewed in #LompocOregon, a state of mind. For more information, visit LompocBrewing.com and follow @LompocBrewing on social media.
About The Author
DJ
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.