This Brewery in Chicago Is for Sale on Craigslist for $2.5 Million

If you’ve ever wanted to own your own brewery, all you have to do is look on Craigslist.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Argus Brewery, a father-and-son operation that ran for 10 years on the south side of Chicago is up for sale. Strangely enough, the large business has its own listing on Craigslist for $2.5 million. The brewery is also a former World Beer Cup award recipient, according to the listing.

The listing includes the 9,700 square foot space in Roseland, brewing equipment, security equipment, furniture, electronics, a delivery van and, peculiarly, “Argus’ intellectual property,” the Chicago Tribune reported. The listing was posted in May and the post also made the rounds on social media this past week. While Craiglist is a popular place to sell furniture or find apartments, finding listings for large businesses is fairly rare, according to the Chicago Tribune, which is most likely why many Twitter users have commented on the listing.

The building also comes with its fair share of history since it was originally built as the Joseph E. Schlitz Distribution Stables, according to the listing. It has reinforced metal beams, a brand new electrical system, plumbing, roof, and a freight elevator with its original motor that was “designed by Nikola Tesla.” The listing also claimed to have the number one brewery tour in Chicago (via Trip Advisor) and can produce 10,000 barrels per year, making it the “perfect turnkey operation.”

According to the Chicago Tribune, the current owner, Bob Jensen, was unaware of the Craigslist listing, saying it was his real estate agent who created it. The brewery had closed in March and he has been trying to sell it since April after months of slow sales. Like many other bars and restaurants throughout the country, lockdown measures due to the coronavirus pandemic also were a factor, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“There was a market downturn, and we had distributors that weren't salesmen. They're just order takers and, you know, it's kind of a shame,” Jensen said of the brewery closure to Patch. “Then, the keg beer sales dried up when the bars and restaurants closed. That was a big part of our business. I didn't want to lay off everybody, but I didn't see another way out for a couple years at least. There comes a point where you have to be financially responsible to myself and the family. We gave it the old college try. It was a fun 10-year adventure.”

For more information, visit the brewery’s listing on Craigslist.