Pretoria Fields Leaving Downtown Albany
Pretoria Fields Brewery is relocating their Downtown Albany brewery and taproom operations to their farm location outside the city. The major move comes nearly 7 years after they established their front-facing operations along Pine Ave. in 2017.
In a post on social media, Pretoria Fields said they would be returning to their “farmhouse brewery roots,” and said the decision required careful consideration.
Pretoria Fields did not share any details on why they were moving operations out of Downtown Albany in their post, which is available to read down below.
Albany’s Major Downtown Player
The brewery and taproom has been one of the anchors of Downtown Albany events and traffic since the location opened in December 2017. The building not only hosts their brewery operations but tons of taproom, event, and outdoor space.
Through the years, the location has been the home of many public and private gatherings, shopping markets, and other events that included live music and food trucks.
As one of Albany’s larger live music venues, the closure means entertainers and bands will need to seek out other locations to play for local Albany area crowds.
And speaking of music, the announcement also means Pretoria Fields Radio studios is moving. The low-power radio station has been a consistent part of the brewery and taproom’s downtown location. Its unique design allowed brewery guests to watch DJs and operators working in the studio through large glass windows.
The Pretoria Fields Downtown Albany location was additionally helpful in difficult times for South Georgia – notably the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time they provided thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer to local hospitals, schools, and other places for free. They also partnered with a distributor to deliver it nationwide.
Downtown Albany’s Future
Meanwhile, Downtown Albany has not been resting on its laurels. Long before the announcement, the city has been making many new business deals to bring more activity downtown. Albany officials have already shared plans for a new boutique hotel as well as shops and food locations in the immediate area of Pine Ave. and Front St.
Some may look at this decision as “two steps forward, one step back” – but there is notably more momentum of business going into Downtown Albany than leaving. This is evident in the newly opened nearby shops as well as the upcoming places under construction.
Once Pretoria Fields vacates the location, it will be one of the largest multi-use properties available in Downtown Albany. There is no word yet on who might choose to move into the space later.
Here is the full text of the post from Pretoria Fields on closing their Downtown Albany taproom:
We’re excited to announce a significant move, with a tinge of sadness but immense enthusiasm! After nearly a decade in Downtown Albany’s stunning location, we’ve chosen to return to our farmhouse brewery roots. This decision required careful consideration. We adore Downtown Albany, and we are deeply grateful for the community’s support through the years.The beauty of downtown Albany will be forever cherished, and our role in hosting many visitors from near and far has been remarkable. We appreciate the city of Albany’s support. We eagerly await returning to our farm and are excited to share the origins of our dream with you. Our taproom at 120 Pine Ave, will remain open for normal hours and operations through Friday, November 1st with all regular weekly events as scheduled. We will resume business at the farm taproom Wednesday 11/6/2024 with hours and schedule to be announced soon!!
Pretoria Fields Brewing on Facebook
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