Blue Moon Brewpub Closing In RiNo As Molson Coors Shifts Strategy

Molson Coors is shutting down its Blue Moon brewpub in Denver’s River North Art District at the end of March. It is another pullback from craft beer for the beverage giant and another blow for Denver breweries and RiNo’s struggling retail market.

The 30K SF Blue Moon Brewing Co. at 3750 Chestnut Place opened in 2016 as a flagship location for the brand. Molson Coors, which owns Blue Moon, says the beer itself isn’t going anywhere, according to The Denver Post. 

“We thank the dedicated team who has made our RiNo brewpub a welcoming stop in Denver and look forward to new opportunities to grow Blue Moon’s presence in Colorado and beyond,” Blue Moon Vice President Courtney Benedict said in a statement.

Denver breweries are struggling with rising rents and declining foot traffic. Nine breweries or taprooms that called the city home closed in 2024, in part victims of their own success as early tenants in up-and-coming neighborhoods.

Retail in RiNo, meanwhile, is seeing its own struggles. Its 8.1% availability rate is more than double the metrowide rate, which sits at 3.9%, according to Newmark.

Molson Coors itself is also grappling with a changing retail landscape and shifting consumer habits. Fewer young people are consuming alcohol, and its competition has grown with the popularity of alcohol substitutes like mocktails and as cannabis legalization has gained a foothold across the country.

The closure follows Molson Coors’ move last year to dissolve its Tenth & Blake craft beer arm, sell multiple brands to cannabis giant Tilray, and shutter AC Golden Brewing Co., which made Colorado Native brand beers. 

Those moves were part of a strategy shift away from craft beer and toward higher-growth segments, The Denver Post reported.

Benedict said the company is focused on growth in 2025, including a national campaign and new products.

The Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field, where Blue Moon was first brewed in 1995, will remain open.