Memphis has lost one of its best-known independent breweries. Crosstown Brewing served its final customers on October 17, and just four days later its operating company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The shutdown comes amid a broader financial squeeze on craft breweries as operating costs rise and beer-buying habits change.
The debtor is Crosstown Brewing Company, LLC, not the nearby Crosstown Concourse complex or its other businesses. The company filed its voluntary petition October 21 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee, case 26-25793. Chapter 7 typically involves liquidation rather than a Chapter 11-style attempt to reorganize and keep operating.
A final Saturday for a neighborhood favorite
Co-founders Will Goodwin and Clark Ortkiese opened the taproom at 1264 Concourse Avenue in February 2018. The brewery became a popular gathering place near the sprawling Crosstown Concourse development, while beers such as Traffic IPA and Siren Blonde Ale reached customers across Tennessee and neighboring states. The business added a kitchen in 2024, serving pizza, wings and other pub food…