Hoops Brewing, the Canal Park beer hall opened by veteran brewer Dave Hoops, will pour its final pint on Feb. 23. The owner announced the shutdown in a video shared Thursday and invited patrons to spend the next month at the taproom. The closure ends a nearly decade-long run for the large, timbered beer hall that has anchored Duluth’s waterfront.
Canal Park fixture since 2017
Hoops Brewing opened in June 2017 after owner Dave Hoops extensively refurbished the former Timber Lodge Steakhouse into a 9,000-square-foot beer hall at 325 S. Lake Ave. Hoops' website lists the Canal Park address and describes a beer-hall model where customers can bring or order in food. The Duluth News Tribune has traced the site’s history and noted the brewery’s emphasis on taproom sales over wide distribution.
Owner's farewell
In a video shared Thursday, Hoops thanked staff and patrons and reflected on the run. “It’s really not that easy to say goodbye, but it’s been a remarkable 10 years down here,” he said, as reported by the Star Tribune. He singled out his late wife, Laura, and longtime general manager Jen and urged people to “please enjoy the next month at Hoops.”
A sign of broader pressure
The announcement arrives amid a wave of recent taproom and production-facility closures across Minnesota as craft-beer demand softens and costs climb. The Star Tribune notes recent losses in the Twin Cities market, including Wild Mind Ales, Finnegan's (now brewed by Fulton), and Dangerous Man.
Final month
The announcement did not lay out a reason for the shutdown, and Hoops did not immediately respond to interview requests, local outlets reported. WDIO noted the video posted to social media and quoted Hoops' invitation for patrons to make the most of the coming weeks. Customers and staff are expected to spend the next month marking the taproom’s last days before the Feb. 23 last call.
Hoops' local legacy
Dave Hoops is a storied figure in the Twin Ports craft scene, having spent years as master brewer at Fitger's Brewhouse and earlier work at Pyramid Brewery in California, local reporting shows. The Duluth News Tribune highlights Hoops' role mentoring a generation of brewers and the taproom's long record of community events and awards. For many in Duluth, the closure will mark the end of an era in Canal Park nightlife.
