One last beer: Garden City tasting room to close, brewery to move

Bottoms up, Boise. You have two weekends to down a final beer at Loose Screw Beer Co. in Garden City.

Loose Screw plans to relocate from 4340 W. Chinden Blvd. while continuing to operate its newly opened taproom in Meridian.

“We are still finalizing details on moving the brewery,” Loose Screw wrote on Facebook, “but at this point, it doesn’t appear we will be able to find a suitable location in Garden City … .”

The last day at the small Garden City tasting room will be March 28. Until then, it will operate from 4 to 9 p.m. Fridays, noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Launched at the start of 2020, Loose Screw replaced Bella Brewing in a spot tucked behind Cobby’s sandwich shop. It was the fourth controlling ownership for the seven-barrel brewing operation, which opened in 2014 as Haff Brewing.

In early 2021, Loose Screw opened a larger, 2,200-square-foot taproom at 1511 W. McMillan Road in Meridian. The community gathering place offers bar-friendly amenities such as shuffleboard, foosball, arcade games and comfy furniture.

Preparing to launch the new spot, co-owner Chris Hughes told the Statesman that it was crucial to the success of Loose Screw, which experienced declining beer sales during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ve been dying,” he said. “Because Garden City doesn’t generate the revenue we need to be profitable.”

Loose Screw’s Garden City lease expires in a few months, the brewery wrote on Facebook. Shuttering at the end of March will provide time to transition brewing equipment to a new home, Loose Screw added.

“… It’s been a hell of a ride, and we are so grateful for the love you’ve given us.”

This story was originally published March 19, 2021 at 11:30 AM.