It would appear that the contractions are coming at a fairly steady pace. Savannah continues to lose iconic eateries that have been a part of their fabric for decades. The latest news comes as Moon River Brewing Company on Bay Street announced their last day in operation would be Sunday, June 16th.

Employees were notified at the start of the weekend.

The specific reason for the closure is unclear. However, Savannahagenda.com reports that a co-owner of the property told them via email the reasons were financial.

The announcement is the kind of news that sends ripples through the community. Moon River Brewing Company has been a staple on the Savannah scene since the turn of the century. They recently celebrated their 25th anniversary.

Moon River was Savannah’s original brew pub. The space offered house made beers long before craft brews began to dominate the landscape. Some of their brews were award winning. The food was good enough to keep everyone happy.

Another element to this legendary space is its history for haunts. The building is a former hotel and has widely been regarded as one of Savannah’s most haunted buildings. It has been a constant (and extremely popular) stop on Savannah’s ghost tour circuit and has been featured in innumerable documentaries and features on Savannah’s haunted history.

Make no mistake, this is a big deal to a great many people who have embraced Savannah’s eerie past.

Spirits and spooks aside, the beer garden on the corner of Bay and Whitaker Streets grew into one of Savannah’s most popular gathering spots for visitors. A centralized location from which to venture out for a day of sightseeing, Moon River Brewing Company will undoubutedly be missed by many.

From my seat, another restaurant should go into that space. The location alone makes it ideal. Time will tell what becomes of the old hotel. Who knows, maybe it will become a new hotel. Just what we needed, right?

We have call into Moon River ownership. We will keep you posted.

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