Beloved north Georgia brewery fighting to stay open despite being $1.1M in debt

GREENSBORO, Ga. — A beloved brewery in north Georgia may soon have to close its doors after more than seven years, but they’re doing everything they can to stay open.

Oconee Brewing Company in downtown Greensboro is facing foreclosure by Ameris Bank because they are currently $1,167,316 in debt, the owner wrote on social media.

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The owner says business has been plagued by the “economic decline of the craft beer industry” and also that they never fully bounced back from the pandemic. Those things, coupled with a loan rising to 11.25%, have landed them in hot water.

“Just because the business dynamics changed on us, doesn’t mean we that have given up,” he wrote. “We are continuing to explore all options and remain optimistic that we can find a solution.”

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He goes on to write that they spent more than $1,000,000 to build the brewery, and that they placed it in Greensboro in an effort to help revitalize the community.

“We believed that a small craft brewery could exist in a small town and for seven and a half years, we’ve proven that to be true,” he wrote.

The owner also goes to tout some of their successes: like partnering with Waffle House to brew their Bacon & Kegs beer and sending some of their beer into the stratosphere.

“Oconee Brewing is an excellent brand with a terrible interest rate.”

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