Longtime Bay Area brewery Gordon Biersch plans to stay in San Jose forever

Longtime Bay Area brewery Gordon Biersch plans to stay in San Jose forever Photo Credit: Gordon Biersch
Wesley Severson
Published on July 02, 2021

Brewing company Gordon Biersch has had a presence in San Jose’s Japantown district for three decades, and now it appears it will stay in its same location for decades more. According to Mercury News, Gordon Biersch Real Estate Holdings has purchased the property where the beer company’s brewpub and restaurant live at 357 E. Taylor Street. 

Dan Gordon is the principal executive of the brewery company and he told Mercury News, “We wanted to control our own destiny. We wanted to be here forever. It’s a thrill for me to complete this purchase. We saw how real estate is getting more expensive in the South Bay. This ensures our longevity in San Jose.”

The $11.8 million dollar deal took about 18 months to complete and includes a 3.1-acre site and the 110,000 square foot building that is on it. Gordon hopes the purchase will bring more life to the establishment and more excitement to an area that doesn’t see many events or large-scale activities.

Gordon Biersch hopes that a series of events starting back up this month will help bring crowds to the pub and its neighboring parking lot. ‘Gordon Biersch Night Market’ is an event featuring street cuisine, musicians, makers, and breweries. The event is expected to run Thursday Nights through August.

Gordon told Mercury News that he is hoping to work with San Jose Jazz to get more events scheduled for the Japantown district location. He also says he is looking into acquiring or leasing the adjacent property to possibly add a tasting room that would give the brewhouse an even bigger presence.

There are also changes within the company’s management. Oliver Gordon, Dan Gordon’s son is now the firm’s chief financial officer, and they apparently looking for new managers. Heritage Bank and Capital Access Group provided the financing for the purchase and Gordon says local real estate investors Terence Fox and Gary Dillabough also helped in the deal.

The company has dealt with hardships over the last few years. One Gordon Biersch restaurant in San Jose closed in 2018. Another one closed in Palo Alto last year mainly due to the pandemic. Dan Gordon did not own either restaurant. Gordon Biersch's large Embarcadero brewpub in San Francisco closed in 2012.