PULLMAN — After a 10-year run, Argus Brewery died from complications related to the new coronavirus, its owner said.
The father-and-son brewery in Pullman opened by Bob and Patrick Jensen in 2009 was already suffering from underlying economic struggles when bars and restaurants closed statewide last month to slow the spread of COVID-19. It was a financial hit the craft brewery couldn’t survive.
“There was market downturn, and we had distributors that weren’t salesmen. They’re just order takers and, you know, it’s kind of a shame,” Bob Jensen said.
“Then, the keg beer sales dried up when the bars and restaurants closed. That was a big part of our business. I didn’t want to lay off everybody, but I didn’t see another way out for a couple years at least. There comes a point where you have to be financially responsible to myself and the family. We gave it the old college try. It was a fun 10-year adventure.”
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In an old stable in a dry, forgotten part of Chicago, the Jensen’s build an award-winning brewery that took home medals from the World Beer Cup and got a surprise visit from the Secret Service when former President Barack Obama got thirsty for a couple cold ones after declaring the Pullman neighborhood a National Monument.
Jensen, who was president of Hub Group, a transportation company, said he opened Argus without really understanding the craft brew business.
“We underestimated the complexity of the business,” he said. “By the time we understood what we had to do and did something about it, it was too late.”
The irony, Jensen said, is that after he made the difficult decision to cease brewing — bottled beer orders started pouring in.
“The demand for bottles picked up after [the bars were closed], and people started buying more packaged beer,” he said.
“So, we’ve got a couple guys at the brewery working and we’re going to sell off what we have. … I’m of the age where tomorrow could be my last day. I’m going to to ride off into the sunset, and just enjoy spending time with my wife and family.”
Jensen said he hopes to sell the brewery’s historic building at 11314 S. Front St. — formerly the Joseph E. Schlitz distribution stables — and the brewery equipment as a package deal.
“If someone wants to get into the craft brewing business there’s everything there to do it, and room to expand production,” he said. “It’s essentially a turnkey operation.”
This article originally appeared on the Chicago Patch