Oro Brewing is back to pouring pints on Main Street, quietly reopening its downtown Mesa taproom this week after owner Dave Valencia reversed a January decision to sell the longtime brewery. The about-face follows an outpouring of neighborhood support and brings one of Main Street’s better-known hangouts back to life, at least for now. The taproom at 210 W. Main St. is operating primarily as a place to drink and buy beer while the team decides what the next chapter looks like.
Valencia announced the change of plans in a March 7 Instagram post, saying that the community response convinced him to “stay open and continue serving the community to the absolute best of our ability.” As reported by The Arizona Republic, he credited the wave of messages and in-person visits from longtime customers with keeping the lights on.
The original January shutdown was supposed to be a clean break, part of a pivot toward other projects and a negotiated sale of the Main Street space before that deal stalled out. Phoenix New Times reported that the brewery had announced a Jan. 25 closing after nearly nine years in business and that a takeover by local restaurant owners was in the works at the time.
How The Sale Fell Apart
That plan unraveled when problems tied to another project involving Oro partners started to pile up. Golden Oak Barbecue & Taproom in Phoenix, a separate downtown venture, shut down abruptly in February after disputes with nearby residents over smoke from its smoker, and investors pulled back. Mouth by Southwest reports that the fallout from Golden Oak, combined with other roadblocks, left Valencia unable to complete the transfer of ownership for Oro’s Main Street space.
On its website, Oro notes that the transition to new ownership “is taking a bit longer than expected” and explains that the taproom is reopening on a temporary basis while the team works to “sort this out.” Customers are encouraged to follow the brewery’s social channels for current hours and updates, according to Oro Brewing.
With longtime brewer Jesse Kortepeter having moved on, Oro is easing back into service as a community taproom, drawing from existing kegs rather than jumping straight into full-scale production. The space is set up to feature guest taps, bodega-style snacks and other small retail items while management searches for brewing partners or a permanent head brewer, Mouth by Southwest reports.
Community Reaction
Valencia has been quick to point the spotlight back at the neighborhood, saying the flood of notes and drop-in visits made him realize how much “Main Street without Oro” would sting for locals. Coverage by The Arizona Republic and other outlets found that regulars and nearby businesses were more than a little relieved to hear the taps would stay on.
Why Oro Matters To Downtown Mesa
For nearly a decade, Oro has been one of downtown Mesa’s anchors, racking up awards and helping knit together Main Street’s small-business scene. Phoenix New Times has chronicled the brewery’s medals and its role in the area’s slow recovery, which helps explain why locals rallied so quickly when a closing date was posted.
For now, Oro’s hours are in flux as the team sorts out production and staffing, and customers are urged to check the brewery’s social pages for the latest tapping schedule and events, per Oro Brewing. The swift reversal is a reminder that in an era of constant churn, neighborhood loyalty can still be the deciding factor for small, independent businesses.
