Uptown’s Broken Trail Distillery & Brewery is closing permanently after being unable to weather decreased sales amid on-going public health orders.
Owner Matt Simonds said the distillery had been struggling for much of the pandemic and even indoor dining was not enough to keep the business afloat.
Ultimately, he decided to close when the shut-down order was made last week to avoid losing more money.
“The unfortunate reality is that we didn’t stop having to pay rent or insurance or pay my employees,” Simonds said. “And so every month we were just losing more and more money, hoping that things would get better, hoping that things would change and they never did.”
He said that unlike other distilleries, Broken Trail was not “ideally situated” for package sales and many customers were still uncomfortable with the idea of visiting taprooms, which also limited business.
Simonds said the decision was difficult to make since the closure affects his family and the families of all of his employees.
The brewery and distillery opened in 2015 and produces beer, gin, vodka, rum and bourbon.
Broken Trail’s taproom at 6902 Menaul NE will remain open through Saturday, Nov. 28 to sell off inventory at a discount.
