DALEVILLE, Va. – Ballast Point announced that it plans to close its taproom and restaurant in Botetourt County at the end of the month, but the county Board of Supervisors is saying "not so fast."
The board says it is starting discussions with Constellation Brands, which owns Ballast Point, to fight the closure. Members are talking about possibly flying out to California in the next few days to advocate for the brewery to stay open and part of the community.
Twenty-five hospitality employees, both full-time and part-time will be affected by the closure, as well as 16 temporary employees, according to the county.
Some of those affected will be offered jobs in production, according to County Administrator Gary Larrowe.
The decision to close is a corporate decision and had nothing to do with the location's profitability but rather the brand as a whole, according to an employee with knowledge of the decision.
We reached out to Constellation Brands, which owns Ballast Point, and received this response:
"As seen throughout the beer industry, growth in craft beer is being driven largely by local brands. With that, we are appropriately reallocating Ballast Point investments to drive growth in core local markets.
We thank the local Daleville community, its surrounding neighbors and our taproom employees for their support and dedication over past couple of years. We will continue to make a positive impact to the local economy through the operation of the Daleville brewing facility, which represents a robust hub for Constellation’s future innovation in support of our specialty portfolio."
The taproom and retail location will be closing Sept. 29, while the brewing facility will remain open, according to a spokeswoman with Constellation Brands.
“This move comes as a total surprise to the County and to the community,” said Larrowe. “Ballast Point has been a great corporate citizen and draw for visitors to the County, which makes this decision all the more impactful.”
Ballast Point posted this message on its Ballast Point: Virginia Facebook page:
Friends of BP Daleville,
We regret to inform you that on September 29th, the Daleville tasting room will be closing its doors. We'd like to take this opportunity to express a sincere thank you to the local Daleville community, its surrounding neighbors, and our team members for the support and dedication. What an unforgettable few years!
Our brewery will remain in operation next door. In the meantime, we invite you to join us through the 29th for a pint and farewell cheers.