'People are disappointed': rising rent and cost force Gun Hill Brewery to shut Bronx spot
BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – After more than 10 years in business, Gun Hill Brewery is calling ‘closing time’ at its Bronx location due to rising rent and operating costs, according to the brewery’s Instagram.
“As many have already heard, our lease is up at the end of the month,” the Instagram post read. “With the drastic increase in costs over the last four years post-COVID, the economics of continuing to operate out of our Bronx location no longer made sense. As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the 3227 Laconia Ave location.”
According to a new survey, many businesses operating in New York worry about inflation. The Labor Department said inflation steadily remained elevated last week, and prices rose 0.4% in January and February alone. The brewery's rent would have gone up 25% to keep operating at their Gun Hill location.
Instagram users echoed the concerns of many local businesses. For instance, a Bronx eatery, Milk Burger, noted how brands that once pioneered the borough are now being priced out of the neighborhoods they helped build.
“People are very disappointed,” Dave Lopez, the Co-owner of the Gun Hill Brewery, said. “There is also some shock from the regulars, but I think the writing on the wall had been there. Operating a manufacturing business has become astronomical with utility bills, rent, and other costs. We tried to stay at this location, but it did not work out.”
Though the tap might have run dry at their Bronx location, the beer will keep flowing as the brewery still operates its Gun Hill Publick House in Brooklyn. Manufacturing of their beer will continue in Hudson Valley.
However, Bronx residents still feel a gap in their hearts.
“Sad news,” wrote another patron on Instagram. “This neighborhood has nothing like this in the area. The beers are top-notch. Void of Light is the best stout out there.”
More information on the Gun Hill’s Brewery Brooklyn location can be found here.
This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.