Guinness will close its Maryland brewery in November

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe, Maryland, will close its doors permanently on November 1. Fox News reported that the closure will leave 174 Aramark employees out of work, according to a notice filed with the Maryland Department of Labor on October 1. [1]

The decision leaves the Chicago location as the only U.S. brewery for the brand. Fox News reported that the closure is part of a 1 billion dollar restructuring plan by Diageo, the parent company of Guinness, which is cutting some team sizes by 20 to 30 percent. [1]

Arthur Guinness founded the brand in 1759 after signing a 9,000-year lease on the St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. Diageo has owned the brand since a merger in 1997. [3]

The Maryland location welcomed 2 million visitors during its operations. Its shutdown will consolidate U.S. consumer operations for Guinness at its remaining facility in Chicago. [1]