Exferimentation Brewing closes after more than 5 years of serving up craft beers in Pontiac
(Photo: Exferimentation)
PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - Pontiac's Exferimentation Brewing Co. announced its permanent closure this week.
The brewery opened in July 2016 on Saginaw Street. It featured craft beers and retro video games, as well as a library of vinyl records and a space for live music.
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Exferimentation got its start on limited resources – found doors were used to make tables, the bar was built from a bowling alley lane. When the team was starting out, they were working other jobs in the day, brewing late into the night, and doing it all over again.
However, in a Facebook post announcing its closure, the brewery said the business had struggled since the start, and the COVID-19 pandemic only contributed to that.
Owner Eric Benton wrote in the post that the three owners were only paid once, during the business' first pay period, before deciding to reinvest whatever money they earn back into the brewery.
When the pandemic hit, the brewery received what it described as a "modest PPP loan." When that money ran out, the business continued to pay employees during the quarantine period.
"Unfortunately, we were never able to recover after to what was already a lean business model after things opened up," Benton said in the post. "Ultimately, we were not a financial success, but I can rest my head a little easier because we always at least attempted to run our business the 'right way.'"
The brewery shuttered Jan. 1.
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