Brewery Clearance Sale: Argus Brewing Slashes Price By $500,000

CHICAGO — For Sale: Argus Brewery, 20 percent off.

Earlier this year, complications from coronavirus killed Argus Brewery after a 10-year run in an old stable in a dry, forgotten part of Chicago where father and son, Bob and Patrick Jensen, built an award-winning brewery that took home medals from the World Beer Cup.

When bars and restaurants closed statewide last month to slow the spread of COVID-19, the craft brewery couldn't survive. So, the Jensen's put the brewery up for sale on Craigslist for $2.5 million.

MORE ON PATCH: Argus Brewery In Pullman Closes As Coronavirus Kills Keg Sales

There has been a lot of interest without a deal, Realtor Dylan Carrigan said. Despite Pullman's recent economic development boon — Amazon's new distribution center, Gotham Green's expansion and more — potential buyers aren't sold on the neighborhood as a beer-geek destination, he said.

So, the Jensen's dropped the price by $500,000.

Now, you can buy the historic building, the former award-winning brewery's intellectual property and all the equipment needed to brew 10,000 barrels of beer a year for a new low price of $1.99 million.

Chicago Patch offers a different take on the city. Sign up for news alerts and the daily newsletter.

Bob Jensen, who was president of Hub Group, a transportation company, has even offered to stay on for six months help an upstart brewer get the business off the ground, Carrigan said.

Carrigan said that the property that includes a side lot big enough to build a restaurant or wedding venue received a lot of interest from aspiring brewers and existing Chicago brewery operations.

"This started as more of a hobby (for the Jensens), and they put so much into the building and so much into the business that they want it to go to the right person," Carrigan said.

"I'd really like to see it go to someone in the neighborhood, and we've had some interest. And I'd really love to see a Black-owned brewery. We don't have many of those in Chicago. I really think this space has potential to help uplift the neighborhood. We'll see how it goes."

You can take a virtual tour, here.