USA, OR: Assembly Brewing shutters last remaining location

Oregon’s only Black-owned-and operated brewery has closed its last remaining location, just months after shutting down its flagship space, KOIN.com reported on September 3.

Assembly Brewing recently announced the closure of its business on 2934 NE Alberta St. The Northeast Portland spot, known as the family-friendly “Assembly Annex,” serving beer and Detroit-style pizza, opened in February 2024.

The original brewpub on 6112 SE Foster Rd. shuttered in May, after six years of operations. When customers asked whether the Alberta spot would remain open, the business said, “for now, yes!!”

In the online message announcing the second location’s closure, owner Greg Johnson revealed he is excited and hopeful for the future of craft beer — but his business has faced several challenges since its debut.

“The craft beer industry is dynamic and ever-evolving and we navigated through various hurdles, from heightened costs and market fluctuations to the impacts of global events,” Johnson wrote. “Each challenge taught us resilience and adaptability. Unfortunately, the hits kept coming and we no longer have a financial cushion to weather the storms ahead. We want to encourage everyone to continue exploring the vibrant Oregon craft beer scene, especially here in Portland.”

Earlier this year, around the same time that Johnson shuttered his Southeast Portland brewpub, the Beer Institute and National Beer Wholesalers Association unveiled data on the state of the brewing industry.

In Oregon, the Beer Saves America report revealed that the industry generated about $8.9 billion in economic output and supported more than 46,000 jobs in 2024 — which the Oregon Beverage Alliance described as the hardest year for brewers yet.

Researchers noted that brewers made up nearly 3,200 of industry jobs last year, which was a 10% drop from 2023. Crux Fermentation Project, Culmination Brewing and Cascade Brewing are among the businesses that have closed Portland locations in recent years.