Popular Craft Brewery Faces Business Fallout After Owner's Disturbing Arrest
A popular brewery in North Carolina continues facing backlash in the wake of its co-founder being arrested on statutory rape charges in December.
According to multiple reports, Sycamore Brewing's planned expansion in Charlotte's popular Cotswold Village Shopping Center is no longer happening following a lease termination on Monday, Jan. 5.
It's unclear who initiated the termination, but it comes less than a year after husband-and-wife co-founders and co-owners Justin Brigham and Sarah Taylor announced last spring that it would convert a former Visionworks retail space into a 7,000-square-foot taproom and a beer garden spanning over 10,000 square feet.
The new plans included expanding the food menu to include brunch options, as well as introducing live music and community events. The owners sought to bring "more of a family-friendly atmosphere with kids' menu and table service, plus this location will include a giant beer garden with games, TVs, and a play spot."
Co-Owner Arrested in December
But plans for an expansion immediately went out the window after Brigham, 44, was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl he met on Snapchat just two weeks prior.
According to WBTV, Brigham allegedly broke into the home where the 13-year-old girl resided and raped her on Dec. 10. The girl's parents reportedly called 911 to report finding an unknown man inside their daughter's room.
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Brigham was later found completely naked inside a nearby car and arrested. Authorities said that, at one point, Brigham got into a physical confrontation with a man inside the residence and assaulted him by "grabbing, squeezing, twisting, and pulling his penis and testicles."
Brigham was charged on Dec. 11 with statutory rape of a child, first-degree burglary, and indecent liberties with a child.
Additional charges came four days later, including three counts of statutory sex offense with a child under the age of 15, one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of soliciting a child by computer, and one count of assault inflicting serious bodily injury.
His bond has been set at $10 million.
Brigham's Wife Files For Divorce
In an open letter to the community, Taylo, who now assumes full ownership of the brewery, shared that she has started the divorce process. Taylor later announced that the brewery's main location would close indefinitely starting Monday "to allow space for processing, healing, and beginning the work of reimagining this community space."
Brigham and Taylor started the brewery in 2013, growing it to become the second-largest brewery in North Carolina and the largest in Charlotte, a city with a large craft beer scene.
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It's unclear how long the 21,000-square-foot location near the Atherton Mill shopping center will be closed, and if the brewery will become a different business.
In the wake of the charges against Brigham, Sycamore Brewery's location at Charlotte Douglas International Airport will close and transform into a "new concept." It's unclear what that new concept will be.
"The Concourse E restaurant is transitioning to a new concept," the airport said in a statement, via WBTV. "The details are still being finalized and the location will remain open to passengers during the transition."
The Fallout Has Been Swift
Following Brigham's arrest, Sycamore's beers were pulled from the shelves at major grocery store chains Publix and Food Lion.
Several bars across Charlotte and beyond will no longer sell Sycamore's beers. Bargarita, for example, posted on Instagram a photo of an employee dumping beer from a Sycamore can.
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"We are heartbroken and disgusted by the news that came out today," the caption read. "Effective immediately, we will no longer carry @sycamorebrewing beers. We send our thoughts and prayers to the victim and everyone else who was affected by this horrific act."
Some bars, however, will continue selling Sycamore's beer, like in Chapel Hill's Goodfellows, which stated that "instead of dumping the beer and penalizing the innocent, hard-working people who rely on the brewery for their livelihoods, we're going to continue to work with Sycamore going forward."