Monkey Town Brewing Co. is closing its Ashland Terrace location in Chattanooga three years after opening.
The restaurant and brewery’s final day of operation is Sunday.
Monkey Town originated in Dayton, Tennessee, the site of the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial that inspired the brewery’s name. The Dayton location and another in Loudon will remain open, co-owner Kirby Garrison said by phone.
“We just celebrated 10 years at Dayton, and that’s thriving and killing it,” said Garrison, who described the original Monkey Town as more of a restaurant that makes its own beer than a brewery.
(READ MORE: A look at the many breweries and taprooms in Chattanooga)
When he and his father opened the Chattanooga location, they decided to eliminate waitstaff and offer counter service like other area breweries. But people familiar with the Dayton location were expecting a similar experience with a full bar, waitstaff and pool tables at the Chattanooga Monkey Town, he said.
“People got really upset that they couldn’t get a Jack and Coke and play pool, and business started to dip,” Garrison said.
Eight months ago they were approached about selling the Chattanooga space, where a group with restaurant experience is planning to open another restaurant, said Garrison, who declined to name the new owners.
“We didn’t necessarily go out of business,” he said of the Chattanooga Monkey Town, which remained profitable. “If the price isn’t your life, everything is for sale — so we decided to sell rather than close and then find a buyer.”
The sale included the brewing system, and the new owners plan to brew their own beer in addition to serving food, he said.
“They will be able to deliver what people wanted us to deliver,” Garrison said of the buyers. “They’re really going to focus on being a restaurant first and a brewery second.”
The new owners plan to completely change the layout of the space, said Garrison, who is unsure when the new restaurant will open.
He and his father, Alan Garrison, now plan to focus on revitalizing downtown Dayton, where they have purchased several historic buildings and already operate a pizzeria and a bakery in addition to Monkey Town.
They are now considering opening a venue for nightlife, such as a space to host live jazz or big band music, Kirby Garrison said.
Contact business reporter Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6508.
