Three years after opening a sparkling new brewpub in Pittsburgh, the multinational brewery chain BrewDog has closed the doors at its East Liberty location.
BrewDog is based in Scotland and has a U.S.-based brewery in Ohio. In a statement, the company said it is closing a small number of its “underperforming bars,” including BrewDog Pittsburgh and three other locations in the United Kingdom.
“The decision to close a beloved bar is never easy, but we know that many others in the hospitality industry can relate to the operational impact caused by the rising costs of goods and services and current economic situation,” a BrewDog USA spokesperson said.
The 4,000-square-foot space on Centre Avenue in East Liberty is part of the Eastside Bond development located near the East Liberty Busway station. The brewpub opened in February 2020 and could seat 190 people. It contained two dog-friendly patios and a 24-tap bar. It also brewed some specific Pittsburgh-versions of BrewDog’s beer on site.
The company, which solicited investment in its operations, reportedly had 150 shareholders in Pittsburgh when the Pittsburgh location opened in 2020.
A spokesperson said BrewDog would be focusing on more profitable sectors as part of its announced brewpub closures. The company said this will allow it to “grow the BrewDog brand in new markets when the timing is right.”
In 2021 in Britain, BrewDog came under fire for alleged workplace abuses reported by some of its staff and former employees. A group of more than 60 former workers signed a letter claiming that BrewDog had a “toxic” workplace culture.
A spokesperson for BrewDog thanked the Pittsburgh employees for their work at the brewpub, and said Pittsburghers workers have been offered relocation opportunities to work at other BrewDog locations as well as a severance package for those wishing to pursue other opportunities.
Though Pittsburgh is losing its BrewDog brewpub, a spokesperson said fans of the beer can still order all of BrewDog’s offerings online.
Ryan Deto is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Ryan by email at rdeto@triblive.com or via Twitter .