Big news in the craft world today.
Stone Brewing, a company I just called a giant of San Diego beer, has laid off 30% of their staff as covid concerns and financial struggles continue to mount for the San Diego staple.
It’s a move that other breweries have made, but none with the power and influence that Stone has. It is sure to have ripple effects in the beer community and our thoughts are with those affected by the lay-offs. It appears to be over 300 employees; this according to the San Diego Union Tribune.
Announced in an email this morning from CEO Dominic Engels, the layoffs were mostly staff in their brewery and tasting rooms. Just a few days ago, Stone on J Street (downtown) announced it was closed until further notice. It may be that some tasting rooms may not reopen, but that is purely speculation because of the timing of all this.
Selfishly, I hope that Stone is able to weather the storm. Engels feels optimistic that Stone will rebound. “It is our sincere hope that when we make it through this pandemic, and as the economy and demand warms back up, we’ll be able to look forward to welcoming folks back to their jobs.”