Crosstown Brewing Co., a fixture of Memphis’ craft beer scene since 2018, is shutting down, with its taproom opening for the final time on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Co-founder Will Goodwin confirmed the closure to Memphis Beer Blog.
“The rumors and rumblings are true. CBC’s closing its doors for the last time this Saturday 10/17,” Goodwin said in a text message.
The brewery’s annual Crosstoberfest celebration, scheduled for Saturday, will now serve as a farewell to the beloved Memphis brewery.
The reason for the closure has not been announced, but Crosstown had faced many of the same challenges affecting craft breweries locally and across the country, including significant financial pressures and changing consumer drinking habits.
In previous conversations with Memphis Beer Blog, the late Crosstown co-founder Clark Ortkiese often spoke about the difficulties of operating a craft brewery in an increasingly challenging market. In 2024, Crosstown expanded its taproom with a full kitchen, part of an effort to attract more customers and generate revenue beyond beer sales.
“The brewery world has shifted a lot in the last 10 years,” Ortkiese told Memphis Beer Blog at the time. “It’s not enough anymore to just open the doors and sell beer.”
From homebrewing to Crosstown Brewing
Goodwin and Ortkiese founded Crosstown Brewing after years of involvement in Memphis’ homebrewing community, developing plans for a commercial brewery as the former Sears Crosstown building was being transformed into Crosstown Concourse.
Construction on the brewery began in 2017, and Crosstown opened its taproom on Feb. 16, 2018.
Crosstown’s flagship Traffic IPA and Siren Blonde Ale are familiar sights on tap lists across Memphis, and the brewery’s reach extends beyond the city, with distribution throughout Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.
Over the years, Crosstown became known for its rotating beer releases, collaborations and community events, including live music, trivia and its annual Crosstoberfest celebration.
In 2025, Crosstown was recognized by the Memphis Business Journal with a Small Business of the Year award.
The brewery’s closure comes a little more than a year after the death of Ortkiese, who passed away July 12, 2025, at age 45 following a yearlong battle with cancer. It was a significant loss for the brewery and Memphis’ craft beer community.
