Famed Rogue Ales closes second location, $500K debt

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Oregon-born and famed Rogue Ales Brewery is closing its second location In Newport, Oregon this fall.  Their half-million in debt in unpaid rent and taxes were too much for the business.

Their Portland location closed permanently during COVID.  They cited rising expenses (think the 10 taxes that were created/increased on Portland businesses during the past decade).

Rogue Ales Brewery sells its beer in 40 countries, but is having problems finding success in its homegrown state.

We have previously written about beloved restaurants closing over costs:

“Portland’s very trendy Deadshot restaurant announced they are closing for good. They said in the closing announcement statement, “There’s no easy way to say this: after more than seven years on our little corner of SE Portland, Deadshot will be closing its doors at the end of 2025.This decision wasn’t made lightly. The truth is simple—sales just aren’t there anymore, while costs keep climbing. Between inflation, the state of the economy, and our “fearless leadership” in DC, the restaurant business hasn’t exactly been set up to thrive. One big repair bill could sink us, and we’d rather bow out on our own terms than wait for the floor to drop out.” This explanation is EXACTLY like the explanation that George Johnson gave in closing two breweries in Portland a few weeks ago: His farewell notes says “The craft beer industry is dynamic and ever-evolving and we navigated through various hurdles, from heightened costs and market fluctuations to the impacts of global events. Each challenge taught us resilience and adaptability. Unfortunately, the hits kept coming and we no longer have a financial cushion to weather the storms ahead.”