Austin Eastciders Collaboratory Closes, Moves Production to Michigan
Posted 10/22/24
Austin Eastciders announced on instagram that the Collaboratory in East Austin is closed, effective immediately. In the carefully worded post, Eastciders states that the space “will evolve into a year-round, multi-use destination,” and clarifies in a comment reply that “the Collaboratory is closed, but a new hospitality vendor is taking over the space in the coming weeks.” Eater Austin has reported that the new tenant will be Stargazer Cafe and Bar, which will be operated by the team behind the Springdale Station event venue.
Eastciders merged with Blake’s Hard Cider nearly a year ago, and while this was posed as a growth opportunity for all parties at the time, it has since become apparent that the merger was more of an acquisition, as Eastciders moved most production to Michigan. Newly printed cans of Austin Eastciders product show the production location of Armada, MI.
At this point, Eastciders’ connection to Austin is tenuous beyond the branding. With Argus Cidery now based in Washington state, Fairweather Cider announcing that they are being priced out of their lease near Q2 Stadium, and Lost Horizon Cider Mill’s delays in opening their taproom, it’s a tough time to be a cidery in/near Austin. At least things seem to be going well for Moontower Cider and Texas Keeper (who actually just expanded their hours!) Perhaps the closure of Eastciders will bring additional business to our other local cideries? You can help, go have a drink.
Note: We received the following message from Austin Eastciders:
The Austin Eastciders Collaboratory will evolve into a year-round destination that goes beyond cider. With updates in the coming weeks, the Collaboratory will remain a space for the community to enjoy while offering a more diverse range of offerings and an elevated experience. Founded in 2013, Austin Eastciders has been the cider of Austin for more than a decade. Texas’ favorite cider-maker continues to be dedicated to capturing the vibes of Austin, and all your favorites will still be made and available right here in Texas. Our production facility in Austin has been making the core cider lineup since June 2016 — the team and production facility is all still local.
