USA, CO: Ska Brewing Co. changes ownership

Ska Brewing Co. in Durango was sold to the Ariano and West families last month, company president and co-founder Dave Thibodeau said on June 5, The Durango Herald reported.

This year marks the company’s 30th anniversary. It was founded in 1995 by Thibodeau, Bill Graham and Matt Vincent.

The Ariano family owns A&L Coors Distribution in Durango. Thibodeau said Bob Ariano and Dave West are experienced beer distributors familiar with Ska Brewing and the Durango community. They are also longtime friends.

“They just have more resources, they have a better fleet, they have more people and they're just better equipped to service a broader area,” he said.

Thibodeau declined to disclose Ska Brewing’s sale price.

He said A&L Coors has a distribution warehouse in Alamosa and regularly runs trucks from there to Durango. The plan is to extend distribution to Alamosa and the San Luis Valley.

He said the Ariano and West families have a strong distribution network in Colorado and other states, and he sees a regional and possibly national opportunities in the future.

But for now, Ska Brewing’s distribution focus will remain on Southwest Colorado, he said.

“There couldn't be a better buyer than these two families, because their philanthropic roots in Durango are already so deep,” he said. “You go anywhere in Durango – whether it’s the college or the high school or baseball fields – you'll see their names on the donor list. ... We’re kindred spirits.”

Thibodeau said he feels a great sense of levity after closing the sale, although some finer details are still being worked out.

He said his biggest concern is that people might wrongly believe Coors Brewing Co. purchased Ska Brewing. Rumors to that effect are already circulating, he said.

“There's no personnel changes. There's no culture changes. This isn't private equity,” he said. “This isn't some outside company. It's not Coors.”

A&L Coors sells Coors beer, he said, but the company is independently owned and has no other connection to the national Coors Brewing Co.

The sale brought Ska Brewing out of debt, which he said wasn’t overwhelming but made it hard to save or invest in new projects. It also frees up some of his personal time.

“I'm going to be able to travel a bit this year – more than I have in many, many years – and spend a little more time with my family,” he said.

He said his business partners Graham and Vincent stepped away from daily operations years ago.

“I'm kind of emotional about all of this after 30 years,” Thibodeau said. “It’s over half of my life, and it’s really bittersweet.”