TRU Colors was set to launch its second beer. Then, it announced it would close.

Black and gold signs along Greenfield Street and a flag flowing in the breeze outside TRU Colors Brewing signaled the taproom was open for business. But the public entrance on 7th Street was closed Thursday afternoon.

The day before, George Taylor, founder and chief executive officer of the Wilmington-based gang-member-run brewery, announced TRU Colors would cease operations on  Friday.

Through tinted windows, lights were on and some movement could be detected inside the building, but Greenfield Street and the neighborhood surrounding the massive former textile factory were quiet Thursday afternoon.

Shockwaves from the news of the sudden closure of Wilmington's highest-profile brewery, however, were rippling across the Port City. Staff at some Wilmington restaurants that stock and sell the brewery's lone beer, TRU Light, said they were surprised.

Read this: Rival-gang-member-run TRU Colors Brewing will cease operations this week

Related: A Tale of TRU Colors: Tragic incidents overshadow brewery's mission, but work continues

Melody Chester, a hostess at Elijah's Seafood Restaurant, said a TRU Colors representative had come by the restaurant on Wednesday, just hours before Taylor's announcement, with a flyer advertising a new beer from TRU Colors.

According to the flyer, TRU Life was set to launch in the middle of this month.

"He said that they were launching a new beer and wanted to bring it by because he knew we sold their product," Chester said. "It just seems sudden to hear this news the same day."

The flyer advertises TRU Life as a peach golden ale made in collaboration with Miller High Life. The beer was set to be available from September to December, according to the flyer.

The same flyer had been dropped off at Elijah's neighbor, The Pilot House, according to the restaurant's assistant general manager Josh Connor.

Connor said The Pilot House serves TRU Light, but it had historically been a "hit or miss" beer among patrons. Still, he was amazed to hear the business would shutter this week.

"I think it's sad for the community because I know they were trying to do something good," said Alexis Morgan, assistant manager at Elijah's.

Morgan said the restaurant — located on the Riverwalk in the heart of downtown Wilmington — has been serving cans of the beer to its patrons for much of 2022. The beer launched nearly a year ago in late September 2021.

"For us, we really wanted to help support the mission," Morgan said. "We love having local breweries and thought it was a good cause."

Morgan said the beer has sold well at Elijah's, with both local and out-of-town patrons looking for local brews.

Last year: 'We're not changing anything': After deadly shooting, TRU Colors founder stands by model

In a statement Wednesday, Taylor cited a lack of funds and local and national media attention as reasons for the closure.

"There was no playbook, and while we made mistakes, we learned and TRU Colors became effective in its social mission," he said. "But it has nevertheless been tough gaining local support."

TRU Colors was founded in 2017 with the mission to "brew opportunity, end gang violence" by employing active, rival gang members.

Aliesha Johnson, kitchen manager at Elijah's, said she'd recently attended a birthday party at the taproom.

"It was a nice atmosphere," Johnson said, mentioning the space had karaoke, games and an outdoor space.

Johnson said she hoped some good would come out of the work that TRU Colors has been pursuing for the last five years, especially for the employees.

"It's really too bad," Chester said.

Jamey Cross is the public safety reporter at the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter @jameybcross. 

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: TRU Colors Brewing's closure: Local restaurants and supporters shocked