'With a heavy heart': Iconic downtown St. Augustine restaurant closes after 29 years
After 29 years of serving craft beer and upscale pub grub as well as hosting live music, an iconic downtown St. Augustine restaurant at the foot of the Bridge of Lions called it quits.
Considered a local landmark, A1A Ale Works at 1 King St. — which had stopped brewing in 2017 — shut its doors permanently Sunday night, the popular restaurant and taproom announced on social media.
"With a heavy heart, we announce the closure of A1A Aleworks on May 26th. We are grateful for your loyalty and invite you to say goodbye in the coming days," the restaurant posted on Facebook.
A1A Ale Works is the most recent in a series of separate and unrelated closures of Jacksonville-area craft breweries and taprooms.
Hyperion Brewing Co., 1744 N Main St. in Jacksonville's historic Springfield neighborhood closed in March after more than six years
Brewer's Pizza, the home of Pinglehead Brewing Company, 14B Blanding Blvd. in Orange Park closed last November after 14 years
Lemonstreet Brewing Co., 2100 Dennis St. in Jacksonville's Rail Yard District closed last December after four years
Tabula Rasa Brewery, 2385 Corbett St., also in the Rail Yard District, closed last August after five years
A1A Ale Works is part of SPB Hospitality, a Houston-based multi-brand restaurant operator. SPB Hospitality also owns Ragtime Tavern Seafood and Grill in Atlantic Beach, as well as Seven Bridges Grille & Brewery and J. Alexander's Restaurant, both in Jacksonville.
A1A Ale Works is closing because its lease is expiring, Ryan Russell, director of communications and cause marketing for SPB Hospitality, told the Times-Union in an email.
“This wasn't an easy decision for us, and the choice was ultimately made due to an expiring lease," Russell wrote. "We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our team members and loyal guests who've supported us over the years. Your dedication and visits have filled our restaurant with unforgettable memories and experiences, and we truly cherish the relationships we've built with visitors from near and far. Thank you for being a part of our journey.
SPB Hospitality's other other brands include Logan's Roadhouse, Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom, Krystal, Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill, Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Chophouse & Brewery, Twisted Tenders, Leo's Italian Kitchen and Ember Smoked BBQ, its website shows.
Russell said none of its other restaurants will be affected by the A1A Ale Works closure.
Founded in 1995, A1A Ale Works was in the building housing the former St. Augustine Plaza Hotel and Potter’s Wax Museum.
Seven years ago, it stopped brewing its own beer, switched to a 24-tap system that features a rotating selection of beers and focused on its restaurant, private dining and catering operations.
Longtime customers reacted with dismay on social media to news of the planned closing. As of Saturday morning, nearly 500 people had taken to Facebook to share their memories of the restaurant over the years and offered best wishes for the future to the A1A Ale Works staff.
"I am stunned. I don't get it...this is so sad. I live in St Augustine and it feels like I'm losing a family member. This is our go to place...now what? Good luck to all the staff. I certainly hope something amazing goes in there that can be accessed by all, and not just a venue for hire," one woman posted.
Jacksonville Red Lobster closures: What we know
Jacksonville-area restaurant roundup: 12 opened, 5 closed in April
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.
If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest dining coverage.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: A1A Ale Works closes after 29 years in historic downtown St. Augustine
