AB InBev Owned Breckenridge Brewery Sues Founder

, AB InBev Owned Breckenridge Brewery Sues Founder

(Courtesy Breckenridge Brewery)

Breckenridge Brewery has existed in Breckenridge since 1990. But as has been reported its run as the third oldest brewery in Colorado may have come to an end after the property owner “abruptly and inexplicably” backed out of an agreement to renew the brewery’s lease.

But there’s an even more intriguing backstory surrounding this incident…

Breckenridge Brewery was founded by Richard Squire, a businessman turned ski bum/brewer along with six other locals. And what started as one of Colorado’s first brewpubs caught fire. In 2015 the consortium sold all of its holdings to AB InBev who now own many craft properties around the world.

Squire is now invested in other businesses. And one of those businesses, which he owns along with another family according to Westword, is the building that may have pulled its lease from the  Breckenridge Brewery & Pub in the famed ski-town.

Breckenridge Brewery has filed suit against Breckenridge Brewery Real Estate LTD (BBRE), the holding company for the building in the dispute, “claiming that the two sides had reached a five-year lease agreement back in February,” and asking for damages in excess of $100,000.

, AB InBev Owned Breckenridge Brewery Sues Founder

(Richard Squire: Courtesy Suzie’s CBD Treats)

Squire, who now owns Suzie’s CBD Treats, a company offering CBD dog biscuits, ointments and oils for dogs with pain, told the publication that Breckenridge Brewery, and its original location on Main Street, shouldn’t be run by a Belgium-based conglomerate like AB InBev.”

“This much I think I can tell you,” Squire told Westword “I founded the brewery, but I also founded it with six other locals up there. I personally believe that the brewery needs to go back into the hands of the locals — back to the people. InBev is a Belgian corporation. That’s not what I started the company for. I did it so my friends could have great food and great beer in a wonderful local atmosphere.”

In its suit Breckenridge Brewery claims that the two sides had reached a five-year lease agreement back in February.

In an email sent to the company and offered into evidence,  Richard Squire’s brother, Steven, accepted the terms, and wrote, “I want to thank you for your efforts in negotiating this matter to a favorable conclusion for both parties. I look forward to receiving the full lease for our review and execution, which I have advised the LP should be received within the next three weeks.”

But sometime after that, BBRE decided not to renew after all, and Breckenridge Brewery filed suit in Summit County Court demanding damages.

“Based on Landlord’s representations, the Brewery did not search for a new location to relocate its business and/or operations and continued to operate at and invest in the Premises as if it would be permitted to remain for at least another five year term,” the lawsuit states, adding that “it will be impossible for the Brewery to locate a new premises to relocate to prior to July 1, 2019.” As a result, “the Brewery will suffer from loss of income, and other irreparable harm to the Brewery’s reputation, business and operations.”

Breckenridge brewery is asking for damages in excess of $100,000.

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