The long anticipated opening of Ür Brewery on Madison Street in Lansdale has come to an unfortunate end, as the owners said they will have to abandon the project after being unable to secure financing for the launch.
In an interview with North Penn Now, owner Lou Farrell said that despite attempts by he and his partner, Chuck Schroeder, to secure financing for the project, multiple banks declined to provide the loan.
“It’s really disappointing,” said Farrell. “We put a lot of money and effort into this, we made a lot of promises. We were looking forward to providing jobs, giving people a place to go for good food, drinks and music.”
Farrell said that he and his partner attempted to secure financing via three separate banks, and though they believed they had agreements outlined, the banks ultimately chose to decline their loan requests. Farrell added that one bank stated that the craft beer industry was dead, while another cited too much competition from local breweries in Round Guys Brewing Company and Well Crafted Beer Company, as well as a perceived risk in brewing via open fermentation.
As a concept, Ür Brewery planned on providing the standard range of beers, but with a secondary focus on bringing historic beers, such as Robert Hare’s Porter, back to life. The venue—located at 320 Madison Street—was being built out to seat 110 guests across booths and tables, with a rotating menu designed by Farrell, who previously did a six-year French culinary apprenticeship.
“We still own the trademarks for the historic brews, and the recipes are ready to go,” said Farrell. “Hopefully we can continue to do something with that.”
The brewery was initially set to launch in May 2019, but a lack of financing continued to delay progress on the project.
“We sank all of our personal finances into this, more than enough to secure the SBA loan,” said Farrell, adding that in a way, he’s at least glad the constant back and forth with the banks is now over.
As for his next move, Farrell said he hopes to do something with the trademarked beers, and in the interim, if anyone is looking for an experienced brewer, he’d be open to discussing a position.
See also:
‘Ür Brewery’ Coming To Downtown Lansdale In May
Round Guys: Social Diversity and the Craft Brewing Scene
Well Crafted Beer Company Set to Reopen Friday
Imprint Beer Co. Teams With Local Punk Band For New ‘Pop Punch’ Brew
Veterans Brew Makes Debut At Four Area Breweries On Thursday
