Oakshire plans to close Springfield taproom — for now — as it rethinks the concept

Eugene-founded brewing company Oakshire announced Tuesday it will pause operations at its downtown Springfield taproom after Aug. 30 to explore a potential shift in offerings.

Oakshire Commons, which opened last April at 416 Main St., was designed to be a “beer and pizza place after work,” Oakshire founder and CEO Jeff Althouse said.

That model isn’t working for the Springfield location, he said.

“What we’ve learned in Springfield is the customers we have, both regulars and first timers, they love us,” Althouse added. “But the economics of the bottle don’t work.”

Oakshire Commons had a strong first few months after opening, according to Althouse, but the taproom hasn’t maintained a steady customer base since. Over the past year at the Springfield location, he saw a decline in beer sales, which is “the core of our business,” he said.

The temporary closure will result in job cuts for one full-time general manager and six part-time employees, he said.

During the pause, Althouse and Oakshire’s leadership team will spend the next few months rethinking the Main Street space, determining whether to rebrand, expand offerings or close the taproom permanently. 

“Hopefully it’s just ‘see you later’ and not ‘goodbye,’” Althouse said. “But we’ve got to do what’s best for our business.”

While details are slim on what a new concept would look like, Althouse sees opportunities to do more business during morning and midday hours, such as offering quick-service coffee and lunch — options that don’t center around alcohol sales.

The additional revenue would supplement the taproom’s beer sales in the evenings and on weekends. 

Althouse founded Oakshire in 2006 and currently operates three taproom locations — in Eugene, Springfield and Portland. Over the last decade, the company has pivoted to primarily taproom sales, which account for 85% to 90% of business, Althouse said.

Eugene and Portland’s taprooms are performing well and will be unaffected by the Springfield location’s pause, he said.

If Oakshire Commons expands offerings, it will have to come with effective messaging.

“Oakshire is a beer brand first, which makes it tough to attract people who aren’t drinking during the day,” he said.

However Oakshire Commons may shift, Althouse wants to maintain it as a gathering place.

“We believe community happens in a place like ours,” he said. “Craft beer is a wonderful product, and the more we make locally, the better we’re going to be as an economy. But in the end, what really drives us is creating and ensuring community.” 

Oakshire Commons will be open under regular hours until its final service on Aug. 30, offering Oakshire beers, local ciders, wines, kombucha and nonalcoholic beverages, as well as a food menu with Detroit-style pizzas, salads, pretzels and other snacks.

Oakshire’s announcement comes after other sobering restaurant news in Springfield, as Cornucopia Main Street shuttered Aug. 16 after seven years in business. Cornucopia’s Eugene locations, at 207 E. Fifth Ave. and 295 W. 17th Ave. remain open. 

And further east in Springfield, the soul food eatery Styr Kurbside Kitchen recently announced it will close by the end of August.