Bold City Brewery’s main Jacksonville taproom at 2670 Rosselle St. was closed Thursday by the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Fire Marshal.
Owner Susan Miller said the fire marshal shut down that part of the business because the original certificate of use issued in 2008 does not allow Bold City Brewery to operate a taproom and that it didn’t have site plans attached.
The brewery and manufacturing side will remain open.
“They’re saying our certificate is not valid for having both brewing and a taproom business,” Miller said. “No one’s ever said anything and we’ve always passed our inspections.”
Bold City opened the location in 2008 and was one of the first craft breweries in Jacksonville.
“Back then I had to go through zoning to get our licenses for manufacturing and to have the taproom open,” said Miller. “The city knows exactly what we’re doing over here.”
Miller said the brewery was caught off guard during a routine inspection by the fire marshal.
She said inspectors explained that “the rules had changed since we opened” and that Bold City Brewery was no longer in compliance.
“I don’t blame them. They’re just doing their jobs,” she said.
Miller said Bold City Brewery will make alterations to the building to correct fire hazards found by the inspectors, which could include interior construction of a fire wall.
“We certainly don’t mind changing things around for safety reasons, but this is the first time in nine years that we’ve been told we’re doing it wrong,” she said.
Miller said the next step will be to have plans designed for the alterations, but she didn’t know how much that could cost.
The taproom, which she said brings in sales of around $25,000 a month, will remain closed until the corrections are made and approved.
“We’re going to miss that, but more importantly we won’t be able to pay our employees who work here on the weekends,” she said.
“On top of that, we’ve just poured a lot of money into our new location.”
Bold City opened a small taproom and experimental brewery April 21 at 109 E. Bay St. Downtown.
She said that location will not be affected.
“We’ll survive, but it’s going to be tough,” she said.
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