San Francisco's esteemed Anchor Brewing Company has listed its two-building property for sale, marking a turning point for the historic brewery that first opened its doors in 1896, as reported by SFGate. The 2.17-acre, 100,000+ square foot property is zoned for diverse uses, providing potential purchasers with a wide array of options. CBRE, the firm managing the property sale, has noted that these uses could range from another brewery to research, storage, electric vehicle charging, shipping logistics, or even biotech laboratories catered to the city's burgeoning biotech sector.
In July, Anchor Brewing revealed plans to close operations and liquidate the business. This unexpected announcement shocked employees and local residents alike, leading to a run on the brewery's signature steam beer. The decision was attributed to financial strains and falling sales since 2016, which rendered the business "no longer sustainable," as per a Hoodline report. Despite selling to Japanese brewing giant Sapporo in 2017 for a hefty $85 million, the company's financial woes only escalated.
The recent heightened interest in Anchor Brewing's property has lured a variety of investors and their respective proposals for the space, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Investors' intentions span from retaining the preexisting brewery to pursuing alternative developments. With the sale process in motion and the brand's future undetermined, the brewing community and local dwellers are left to wax nostalgic about the iconic brewery's rich history and its significance to San Francisco.
Employees of Anchor Brewing established a union in 2019. They made an effort to buy the company and its assets, but their negotiations seem yet to be successful. According to a separate San Francisco Chronicle article, the union's current status in ongoing discussions with Sapporo remains unclear. Though the selling price for the property and brand is undisclosed, it's evident that the eventual buyers will hold the responsibility of guiding the Anchor Brewing legacy into its future chapter.
