Quick Take
Watsonville Public House, a nonprofit craft brewery that opened in February 2024, will close after Saturday due to financial strain from construction overruns and investors seeking to pull funding. On Instagram, owner and brewer Robby Olson thanked the community for its support and said he’s open to new investors who want to help keep the brewery alive.
Just a year and a half after opening, Watsonville Public House, a craft brewery located in downtown Watsonville, will close its doors after this Saturday.
Owner and brewer Robby Olson made the announcement on Instagram and Facebook on Tuesday afternoon, blaming financial strain due to initial construction costs on the building and investors seeking to pull funding. “Due to construction overruns that we could never outrun and investors looking for an offramp from this project, this will be out last weekend. Watsonville Public House will be closing for the foreseeable future after Saturday night,” said Olson.
“That’s sad,” he said after an emotional beat. “For those of us who have this to be a community of joy, love, welcome and inclusivity, it will feel like a real loss, because it is. But remember, we don’t lose our friendships. We can continue to invest in our community.” Watsonville Public House is open to new investors who are interested in seeing the brewery continue, he added.
Olson did not respond to calls on Tuesday afternoon.
Watsonville Public House opened in February 2024. The nonprofit brewery and taproom offers ales and seasonal beers brewed on site, and donates a portion of its proceeds to local nonprofits in the Pajaro Valley.
In addition to being a site for weekly trivia and karaoke nights, the Public House engaged in political and community activism. In February, Olson made the decision to close for a day, alongside My Mom’s Mole, a food truck that operates independently on the brewery’s property, to observe the “A Day Without Immigrants” protest, which highlighted the economic importance of immigrants. Despite the loss of income from the pub’s Monday regulars, Olson felt it was important to stand with the community where he lives and works, he told Lookout at the time.
One of the final events at the brewery this week will be a gathering this Thursday to make signs for the “No Kings” protests happening in Watsonville, across the county and nationwide this Saturday.
The brewery is also hosting a final disc golf putting league on Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the brewery will open at 2 p.m., and finishes with its last karaoke night from 7 to 10 p.m.
In the video he shared on social media, Olson raised a mug of amber-colored beer to the viewer. “Cheers to you. Cheers to Watsonville. I am so thankful for the friends I’ve made here, what Watsonville Public House has been, and what it might be in the future,” he said. “Let’s do our best to kill these kegs that are still full of beer.”
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