Hillman Beer poured the last of the beer at its Â鶹´«Ã½ taproom, but the brewery still has some unfinished business with the city of Â鶹´«Ã½.
The brewery announced the Â鶹´«Ã½ taproom, which opened in March 2023, would close in an April Facebook post, citing serious damage to the Asheville and Old Fort locations during Hurricane Helene. The post said the business felt the closure was "necessary to ensure Hillman Beer remains alive and well."
In 2023, Hillman Beer received a $75,000 loan from the city to build its Â鶹´«Ã½ location. Funded by community development block grant money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, half of the loan was to be forgiven after five years if the business maintained good standing on the loan and completed its original business plan.
Hillman fell three years shy of the five-year mark for loan forgiveness.
Customers mill around the Hillman Beer taproom on South Sterling Street in Â鶹´«Ã½ after its opening in 2023.
News Herald file photo
Jonelle Sigmon, public information officer for the city of Morganton, said the business still owes $60,581 on the loan.
The city reached out to HUD, which said it would be up to the city to decide how to move forward. Sigmon said city leaders are working with Hillman on next steps. She said Hillman has continued making payments on the loan.
The Â鶹´«Ã½ City Council also approved Hillman for another $75,000 small business loan through its Main Street program, but that loan was never finalized, Sigmon said.
Hillman Beer owner Greig Hillman did not return requests for comment. The brewery still has taprooms in Asheville and Old Fort.
Chrissy Murphy is a staff writer and can be reached at cmurphy@morganton.com or at 828-432-8941.
