Brewery sold at auction
Sam Shawver, sshawver@mariettatimes.comThe Marietta Brewing Company was purchased by the property's lienholder for $268,000 during a public auction at the Washington County Courthouse Friday.
"I've been the lienholder for a number of years, and I'm just trying to protect my lien position," said local businessman Dave Broughton after submitting the winning bid and handing over a required $10,000 deposit on the property.
Broughton was among five people casting bids for the popular Front Street bar and restaurant. The bidding started at $168,000, about two-thirds of the $252,000 appraised value.
Asked if he had immediate plans for the facility, Broughton at first said no, but then added, "We will reopen it eventually."
Attorney Jim Huggins, who represented Broughton in the foreclosure case, said at least nine parties had contacted his office prior to the auction, and all nine had toured the facilities at 167 Front St.
"There was a lot of interest," he said.
The business, which employed 25 to 30 people, closed due to foreclosure on Nov. 30 because nearly $700,000 was owed to lenders and government agencies, including $400,000 in federal taxes, $33,342 in state taxes and another $15,368 to a food service company.
Earlier this month, Huggins said local unpaid real estate taxes, reportedly totaling $33,000, would be paid first out of the auction proceeds. Lenders would be next in line for payment, and anything left over would go toward state and federal taxes.
Following the auction, brewmaster Kelly Sauber, who produced house ales for the Marietta Brewing Company until it closed last fall, said he expects Broughton will want to reopen the facility as soon as possible.
Sauber also said he owns the banquet hall adjacent to the brewing company.
"I think Dave has plans to open back up, and would continue to lease the banquet hall," Sauber said, adding that he would likely return as the brewmaster.
"But there are still some issues to be addressed, including obtaining another liquor license, which could take some time," he said.
Sauber noted that it required two separate licenses to operate the brewing company, one allowing service of beer and liquor by the glass, and another allowing the manufacture of beer on the premises.
Because state taxes were owed, the business was prevented from renewing its liquor license, which expired in October. But the brewing company was allowed to continue selling alcohol until the tax case was heard.
Shana Woodford, who operates the H. Rietz & Co. Antiques and General Merchandise store next door to the Marietta Brewing Company, was happy to hear the business had been purchased.
"I'm glad for that, and hopefully they'll reopen and get business going again here soon," she said.
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surprised
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01-19-10 12:53 AM
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Sorry Scandalous but HANSON said it all and everything he said is right. Also there are the same number of bars in town that have always been, only under different names, of course. There are enough drinkers around Mtta to keep all of them busy but you have to put money back in the business, pay your taxes, pay your employees, etc, etc, and you can still make money, but before you take out for yourself, you have to pay the piper! Why do you think all of these bars have been here so long, they make money!!
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scandalous
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01-18-10 8:59 AM
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The Brewery was one of the busiest places downtown with customers who spent more per customer. Anyone who has spent time in downtown establishments knows that for certain. More friendly, peaceful, reasonable & intelligent customers compared to the others. Most businesses don't fail due to lack of profitability, they fail due to lack of cash flow-- spending too much in facilities, resources, or just not enough cash on hand in the beginning to get a positive bankroll going. Someone can make this work. The Brewery was the most civil of all downtown establishments, too bad it had management issues.
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WORKINGSTIFF
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01-17-10 3:11 PM
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OK... keep that fire burnin'. Do you have a new Mayor ready? Do you have new City Council members ready to run in the NEXT election? County Commissioners? Business friendly brains on the Ohio Code Boards? Also, be aware and ready to fight ANY Federal attempt to make Ohio subject to California or International Building Codes... if they get snuck in place, like in some stupid Globe-Al Gore Klimate & Kommerce Kontrol (KKK) Energy Tax law, you'll have $250K in a 500 sq ft shack here. And Federal inspections before you are PERMITTED to sell to a willing buyer. Das vedanya, Komrade.
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Charles2005
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01-17-10 2:22 PM
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Loval government needs to get out of the way, out of the business person's pocket, and encourage investment in our town. For nearly 5 years the chamber fought to consolidate the permitting process to make it easier to develop property before a change in city council finally got the county & city together. Let's now get Marietta's building code to follow Ohio's and not the convoluted regs now in place. Also, in most areas gov't dollars go for economic development, here it all falls back on the private sector. No gov't investment in property and infrastructure so a company could have a lot ready for a new company; nope, just lots of red tape. Why do you think George Broughton is developing outside city limits? How many businesses moved out of Marietta in the last 5 years? Lots left to get away from the gov't dictators and the high taxes.
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bandit529
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01-17-10 1:07 PM
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Well i guess puting your true thoughts down on this site does not work they take them off when you tell the truth but if you lie like dave broughtons does then they back you up the truth does not matter just how much money you have
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WORKINGSTIFF
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01-17-10 9:33 AM
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Study up on John Kasich for Gov, Portman for Senate, and Donald Allen for 6th District Representative in the House...Thompson for State Senate.... There may be some other challengers out there in the primaries.... Business friendly .... look for it...
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WORKINGSTIFF
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01-17-10 9:30 AM
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Wouldn't you like to have all those jobs back? Dravo, GE polymers, Airolite, Kardex, the big aluminum mills, oil, coal miners, Ames, ...most of that stuff is still being made SOMEWHERE...business owners and stockholders would put it here if they could make a profit. Don't say greed. Only a fool risks money in a place that's openly hostile. What can we do to make Washington County a place where real industry with real jobs wants to invest?
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WORKINGSTIFF
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01-17-10 9:23 AM
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C-cane ... I appreciate the vote of confidence, but new industry will not come from government intervention or "stimulus". Get your copy of 33 Questions about American History You're not supposed to ask, by Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Read the chapters on capitalism, the Depression, wages, etc. Get into F.A. Hayak and the Ludwig von Mises Institute, and the Heritage Foundation's info on business economics. Every dollar that is taken from a private citizen in taxes and spent by Government is one that is not available for you or me to spend or invest as WE see fit. Government at every level needs to shut up, sit down, repeal reams of regulations/permits/fees/taxes/reporting/red tape that send obvious signs to business owners = "We will take your profits, if you dare make one!" or "We really don't want your new facility and all its jobs and tax base here!" Find our where the potential leaders really stand on these issues, and VOTE business-friendly i
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Katnk9
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01-16-10 11:42 PM
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Hanson - I think Dave said something like he didn't want to loose his shorts.
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HANSON
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01-16-10 10:22 PM
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good luck dave, the question in my mind is why did it fail to start with? no local support, poor mgmt. poor food, poor service, the wrong clientele, bad location, over leveraged, a scam, thieving help, limited parking, too many bars, something is not adding up, i smell a rat, what do you think. do not be bashfull or kind. tell it like it is.
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citizencane
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01-16-10 6:17 PM
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Many of the cities that have successful "Main Street" programs and thriving downtown areas are located in areas with a higher per capita income than Washington County--Chagrin Falls, Lebanon, etc. They receive local support, and many repeat customers are area residents with a little extra in their wallets. We know the city leaders read these blogs---I challenge them to publicly demonstrate their plans to bring new industry to this area.
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citizencane
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01-16-10 6:10 PM
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Workingstiff- You are right. We are not a tourist mecca, we are just another small town putting so many eggs into the tourism basket. While the Chamber of Commerce keeps pushing citizens to shop locally and support the city merchants, I don't see any plans to bring in industry. Couldn't some of the stimulus money have been used to make some of these vacant properties attractive to companies, or provide a tax abatement to draw new industry? The powers to be just don't get it---people don't have disposable income to spend downtown if you don't bring in decent jobs!
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concernedpatriot
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01-16-10 3:14 PM
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WORKINGSTIFF, that's what you have when you are a tourist meca.
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Katnk9
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01-16-10 2:51 PM
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I thought a brewery is where they brew beer? I never really understood if this was the interest in going there or if it was just another excuse to drink: another bar. The young people sure could us a place to hangout, spend mom & dads money and have a great time. Don't we say "Our future is our young people"? Come on Dave, please set an example and invest in the younger set. Adults have enough watering holes here. Loud music, band night, talent night, dance contest, no one over 25 allowed. Brew up some good beer,good food and good fun! Good Luck Dave!
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WORKINGSTIFF
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01-16-10 12:45 PM
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Dichotomy? Please elaborate. I know the definition, but I'm missing the reference to the article or comments.
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GOTOSCHOOL
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01-16-10 12:11 PM
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Everything is a dichotomy these days...just is...everywhere.
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WORKINGSTIFF
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01-16-10 11:47 AM
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Too bad we don't have near as much excitement, attention and public support in this area of real industry. We hassle DuPont and Eramet. They'll be gone soon. We threaten coal. We restrict oil and gas and timber production. We "bargain" and "organize" away any manufacturing of real exportable goods. We "permit" and "code" building and expansion into a poor investment. But we are all out for low wage, part-time, no benefits, seasonal, economy-dependent "jobs" for a few in our tourist "industry". Go figure.
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GOTOSCHOOL
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01-16-10 11:41 AM
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hp we need safe gathering places- it's fun- most of us are responsible...no?
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hockeypuck
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01-16-10 11:22 AM
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Just what we need. Another place to imbibe alcohol. Kind of "sobering", don't you think? Maybe the article on addiction in today's edition may wake up some of us.
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GOTOSCHOOL
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01-16-10 10:27 AM
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Is Dave a restaurant guy...?
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beddyrn
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01-16-10 9:47 AM
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mmmmmmmmmmm .... beer and milk!
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Suncatchin
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01-16-10 9:31 AM
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get new castle on tap! or brew a beer that is simliar to new castle!
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