Philadelphia health inspectors shut down Victory Brewing Company's massive taproom on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Aug. 25 after finding live mice, roaches and mouse droppings in the prep, bar and storage areas, along with a long list of sanitation failures. The city ordered the three-level brewpub to cease operations by 3:20 p.m. that day, citing 26 total violations classified as imminent health hazards.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health documented the pest activity alongside dirty food-contact surfaces and workers who put on gloves without first washing their hands, according to the CBS News report on the closure. As reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, inspectors also found black specks and orange residue inside an ice machine, dirty soda guns, a lack of hand soap at several sinks, and unmaintained dishwashing equipment.
Under city health code, restaurants closed for imminent hazards must stay shut for a minimum of 48 hours, pay a $315 fine, and pass a full follow-up inspection before reopening, per the same Inquirer report. Victory said in a statement that it had always been in compliance with the health department since opening and that it has maintained regular pest control service with a professional provider since the taproom debuted.
Brewery Says Cleanup Is Underway
Victory Brewing area operations manager Matt Reimold said a professional pest control provider was already on-site working the issue, and that the facility would reopen only after every cited problem is resolved and approved, the Inquirer reported. The company added in an Instagram post that it plans to reopen Thursday, but only once all identified issues have been fully addressed and the taproom meets both company and health department standards. Victory said it is addressing the concerns identified during the inspection and that taproom cleanliness and safety remain paramount.
Ultimately, reopening hinges on the health department itself signing off as safe, not just on the company's own timeline. The taproom sits at 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a high-visibility address that draws heavy foot traffic from tourists and Center City workers alike.
A 14,000-Square-Foot Flagship on the Parkway
Victory opened the sprawling, 14,000-square-foot, three-level space in the former TGI Friday's location on Oct. 26, 2021, according to PhillyVoice. The venue includes a custom Prospero brewing system, two indoor bars, an outdoor bar, a street-level beer garden and a rooftop patio overlooking Logan Square, per Victory Brewing Company's own description of the site.
Victory was founded in 1996 in Downingtown by childhood friends Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, growing from a Chester County brewery into a regional presence across southeastern Pennsylvania and North Carolina, according to Victory Brewing Company. Hoodline has previously covered the brewery's Chester County roots as it expanded its footprint beyond the flagship brewery.
Part of a Larger Craft Beer Platform
The Parkway taproom is one outpost of a much bigger operation. Victory is owned by parent holding company Artisanal Brewing Ventures, formed in 2016, which also runs Southern Tier Brewing, Sixpoint Brewery, Bold Rock Hard Cider and Southern Tier Distilling, according to Breweries in PA. Industry production data released by the Brewers Association in April 2026 ranked Artisanal Brewing Ventures as the 11th largest craft brewing company in the country by volume in 2025, per the Beer Street Journal.
The closure fits into a wider pattern of city food-safety enforcement. Philadelphia's Office of Food Protection conducts risk-based inspections across thousands of food service establishments citywide and issues temporary closures whenever unmitigated pest activity threatens public safety, according to myshyft.com. For now, Victory's Parkway taproom remains closed until the health department confirms the site meets its standards, with the brewery's own Thursday reopening target still contingent on passing that review.
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