Wednesday was the final B次元官网网址榣ast callB次元官网网址� for ChemainusB次元官网网址� Riot Brewing Co.

The craft brewery in Chemainus Village Square has closed its doors for good, the victim of a variety of financial circumstances that are being felt by countless small businesses across the country. RiotB次元官网网址檚 $40,000 repayment of a $60,000 Canada Emergency Business Account loan it received following COVID was due Jan. 18 and compounded by its landlord only offering a minuscule amount of time from Saturday to Wednesday to pay its bills.

B次元官网网址淲e fell behind in rent,B次元官网网址� said Ralf Rosenke, RiotB次元官网网址檚 co-owner along with Aly Tomlin.

The pair has been in difficult spots like this before since first conceiving the idea for the brewery in 2009 and then enduring many ups-and-downs before Riot Brewing Co. finally opened its doors in November 2016. Not the least of their extenuating circumstances was the windstorm of December 2018 that cut power to Chemainus for up to five days in places and hammered businesses for much longer to get back on track.

Many patrons who packed the place Tuesday and Wednesday once word leaked out that the brewery was closing felt like drowning their sorrows in their beer and the whole situation did not sit well.

B次元官网网址淪ad day for Chemainus,B次元官网网址� said customer Peter Collum. B次元官网网址淎nother dream crushed by an absentee landlord.B次元官网网址�

Riot went out amid as much fanfare as could be mustered Wednesday. The Grinning Barretts, who frequented the premises many times to play their unique Celtic music, were there with their bagpipes as a final salute.

RiotB次元官网网址檚 fate is as much a product of the times as anything else. Tomlin pointed out 1-2 out of five Canadian breweries are facing serious closure decisions within the next year.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 saturation,B次元官网网址� said Tomlin of the marketplace. B次元官网网址淐OVID kind of helped the saturation.B次元官网网址�

At the same time, prices have hit peoplesB次元官网网址� pocketbooks hard.

B次元官网网址淓verything has risen,B次元官网网址� said Tomlin. B次元官网网址淐raft beer is a luxury item. People canB次元官网网址檛 afford groceries.B次元官网网址�

It was naturally mixed emotions for the co-owners as the final closure hours approached.

B次元官网网址淧art of it is a bit of a weight lifted off our shoulders,B次元官网网址� reasoned Tomlin. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been such a struggle since COVID. We were actually trying to sell. They could not make a deal with the landlord.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of breweries for sale,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 really raise your prices any more.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淓veryoneB次元官网网址檚 watching their dollars,B次元官网网址� Rosenke concurred. B次元官网网址淭he front-of-house lounge here is pretty much the same. But the wholesale sales dropped significantly.B次元官网网址�

People are having to made hard choices with their spending habits.

Rosenke and Tomlin tried to sort out their situation in the big picture before reaching their hard decision.

B次元官网网址淲e talked about it and with the potential for a large rent hike in 18 months, do we want to (continue)?B次元官网网址� Rosenke pondered.

They decided to move on.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 still going to be a hard couple of years before things get back to normal,B次元官网网址� Rosenke conceded. B次元官网网址淢aybe in a sense the landlord made us play our cards. Obviously, we wanted to keep going.B次元官网网址�

RiotB次元官网网址檚 products consistently won major awards among its peers over the years, including a bronze for its Working Class Hero dark mild at the Canada Beer Cup in Niagara Falls, Ont. and a bronze for Lipslide Lager at the Canadian Brewing Awards in Halifax in 2023.

But with all those accolades, B次元官网网址渋t didnB次元官网网址檛 pay the bills,B次元官网网址� Rosenke reasoned.

He said RiotB次元官网网址檚 main focus has always been on the community and thatB次元官网网址檚 the greatest take-away for him.

B次元官网网址淚 think we excelled in that part. WeB次元官网网址檙e going to miss the friends who became family over the years. Hopefully, weB次元官网网址檒l continue to see them.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檒l be interesting. The sad part is the community. Honestly, thatB次元官网网址檚 what itB次元官网网址檚 all about.B次元官网网址�

The importance of community should be a message that resonates for people from Riot Brewing Co.B次元官网网址檚 plight, Rosenke added.

B次元官网网址淢ake sure people support your local businesses. Take it for granted and theyB次元官网网址檙e gone. You donB次元官网网址檛 want to do that.B次元官网网址�

Tomlin and Rosenke arenB次元官网网址檛 sure whatB次元官网网址檚 going to come next. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure that hand will play out pretty quick,B次元官网网址� Rosenke said.