People have a tendency to get attached to local businesses. Whether it’s the familiarity of the friendly faces who greet you or the great service you know you can expect, it’s always hard to see a local establishment shut its doors for good.
It can be especially hard to lose a treasured restaurant.
People tend to have an emotional connection to food. It’s hard enough when a restaurant makes the decision to remove an item you love from its menu. It’s even harder when that restaurant says it’s closing permanently.
But sometimes, when you lose a local eatery, you lose more than just an interesting menu — you lose a true neighborhood hub. That can be an even harder pill to swallow.
In recent years, many restaurants have made the tough decision to close, citing changing consumer behavior. But Restroworks says that in January 2025 alone, U.S. restaurant sales reached $98.6 billion.
This tells us that consumers are indeed spending on restaurants. But that may not be enough to ensure that your local favorites survive.
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Bay Area brewpub to close for good
Main Street Brewery in Pleasanton, CA was more than just a bar and restaurant. It was a true neighborhood hangout spot.
The brewpub was known for not just its classic pub fare menu, but its selection of house beers.
More so than that, Main Street Brewery played host to many live performances. Local bands would take to the stage to entertain customers on a regular basis, making it a true weekend hotspot.
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But now, the restaurant’s owners have made the tough decision to close their doors after a successful 30 years.
Fans of Main Street Brewery only have a few more days to grab a bite or enjoy a pint of their favorite local beer before the brewpub shuts its doors for good on Sept. 21.
As the restaurant’s owners shared on Facebook, “We’ve shared meals, music, laughter, and stories. Along the way, we’ve made everlasting friendships, people we will always remember, and times that we will never forget.”
A major blow that’s part of a broad trend of restaurant closures
The National Restaurant Association reports that 64% of full-service customers say their dining experience is more important than the price they pay for a meal. Restaurants like Main Street Brewery have long done a good job of delivering on experience. Yet many are closing, despite their popularity.
That perhaps speaks to the demands and stress of owning a restaurant – even a successful one.
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Any restaurant owner will tell you that their job is hardly a 9-to-5. Restaurant owners commonly work seven days a week, and long days and nights — despite a limited payoff.
Toast reports that the average profit margin for a restaurant is 3% to 5%. But for many smaller restaurant owners, that’s just not enough to keep going.
As restaurateur and consultant David Scott Peters says, “The average restaurant makes a nickel to 8 cents on every dollar that comes in the door…That combines the good, the bad and the ugly.”
When local restaurants shutter, though, it hurts communities. Locals don’t just lose a beloved spot – they lose a source of revenue for the neighborhood.
And when commercial spaces go vacant, it opens the door to a host of issues, from declining property values to chain reactions where other small businesses start to move out.
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This isn’t to say that Main Street Brewery’s closure is going to take down the neighborhood. But if similar restaurants follow its lead, it could deal the community a major blow.
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