Downtown Santa Rosa’s 2 Tread Brewing has served its last beer according to co-owner Bill Drury. The restaurant is shuttered as of Jan. 9.
“Thank you to all that supported us over the last year. We had wedding parties, a number of 21st birthday parties, retirement parties, even a marriage proposal. We’ll miss you all,” said Drury.
It hasn’t been an easy road for the 6,000 square foot brewpub, which opened just three weeks before fires ravaged Sonoma County in 2017.
Adding to the rocky start was an already saturated brewpub scene in downtown Santa Rosa (six at the time), extensive construction delays, and most notably the brewpub had to open without, well, any of its own brew.
It took more than two months for the spot to be able to pour their own much-anticipated amber ales and IPAs, and by then folks were more concerned with rebuilding than celebrating.
Despite all that, the food was solid as was the massive patio — which always left me wondering why the spot seemed so quiet even on warm summer days.
Drury maintains that the fires were the main cause of the closure and that they were never able to recover afterward. They’re hardly alone. Many restaurants in the region have seen revenue dips of between 20 and 35 percent since the fires, especially in areas where homes were lost. Though December is typically a boon, slow winter months can be a death knell for struggling businesses.
In addition, skilled restaurant workers which were hard to come by before the fires have become almost impossible to find due to housing shortages and the high cost of living.
It’s going to be a rough winter, so buckle up folks. Or better yet, hit up a restaurant or two this week.