Scotty’s Bierwerks closed on Nov. 28, 2025. A lease hike killed plans to transfer ownership to a new buyer. Cape Coral’s last brewery served its final customers after nine years.
Mary Bellman, the marketing manager, said the lease jumped almost 50% above what they’d been paying. “With the new buyer coming in, to take over, we have a new lease, and our lease increase was astronomical,” said Bellman, according to Gulf Coast News Now. “It was nearly 50% of what our old lease was, added to the old lease.”
Owner Scott Melick had been planning to retire. He found someone to take over. The Facebook post mentioned that one of the brewmasters was ready to carry things forward, but lease talks hit a wall and blocked the sale…