Flyers Restaurant and Brewery announced this morning that it is closing. As with every brewery closure, distinct circumstances led to the closing of this beloved Washington brewery.
For over 20 years Flyers Restaurant and Brewery served the residents of Oak Harbor, dishing out reliably good food and always tasty beers. For me and my wife, it’s personal: Kim and I were married on Whidbey Island shortly after the brewery opened and we served Flyers’ IPA and blonde ale at our wedding. I am sure many folks in the Oak Harbor area hold similar heartfelt bonds with the restaurant and brewery. For certain, Flyers will be missed and remembered fondly.
Tony Savoy, the brewer and co-owner at Flyers Restaurant and Brewery, announced the closure on social media this morning. “It is with tremendous sadness that we announce that Flyers Restaurant and Brewery has made the very difficult decision to cease operating permanently. We want to thank our countless guests and all of the great employees we have had here over the years, your support helped us bring award-winning food, beer, and service for nearly two decades here in Oak Harbor. We genuinely appreciate all of you and know that without this continued support, none of this would have been possible.”
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Tony told the Washington Beer Blog that there are a lot of details, but in the end, it really came down to rising costs and declining revenues. Also, there was a looming issue with the building’s lease situation. On top of all that, one of the business’s owners recently passed away. The permanent closure comes following a temporary closure precipitated by the passing of Jason Tritt on September 20th.
“On behalf of Jason and the Tritt family, I want to say thank you for everything,” said Tony. “We wish you all Fair Winds and Following Seas.”
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There is some hope to hold onto. Perhaps someone will step up and buy the entire thing: the property, the building, and the restaurant and brewery within it. One can hope.
