In what is really sad news to hear, Ferndale favorite Axle Brewing Co. is closing its doors at the end of June.
Axle made the announcement on their Facebook page on Friday. Despite the taproom and restaurant’s popularity at 567 Livernois, the business model was not producing a sustainable profit.
“We had a steep climb from where we began and we do not see a clear path to profitability with our current cost structure and very lean margins on the distribution side of our business in the near term,” Axle Brewing owner Dan Riley wrote in the Facebook post.
The construction in Livernois in 2018 also took a toll on the business.
“We are grateful for the support from the city of Ferndale, our neighbors and the resilience of our staff during the 6 months of road construction we endured last summer and fall, but it definitely took a toll on our revenue and arrested the substantial momentum we had rolling into our first birthday last June.”
Axle Brewing Co. was a big supporter of Ferndale Radio. A limited release of Very Stable Genius, an 8.5 percent ABV Imperial Wheat, in January of 2018 helped the station redesign the studio and upgrade equipment. Axle Brewing also received naming rights for the Ferndale Radio studio.
Axle Brewing Co. received praise from other media outlets in metro Detroit, including being named one of the Detroit Free Press’ Top 10 Best New Restaurants in 2018. Ferndale mayor Dave Coulter realizes the void Axle Brewing will leave in its wake.
“In two short years, Dan has become an integral part of the community and so respected,” Coulter told the Detroit Free Press. “He was more than just a business or a brewery. He was a community partner in many ways, and the community will take this hard.”
There is a chance that Axle Brewing could be sold to an interested party.
“We’ve had a few conversations with companies we respect about partnering or acquiring us, but it’s important for us to entertain all possible options & be transparent about our intentions in order to work thru the process openly. “
Axle Brewing will pour its last beers on June 30. I’m making sure to visit as much as I can to give my proper respects.
Photo credit: Axle Brewing, Facebook
