Town Brewing Company in west Charlotte is on guard after a smash-and-grab robbery where burglars busted windows and grabbed anything they could inside over the weekend.
The brewery's director of sales and business operations Brandon Stirewalt was shocked by the crime.
“The anguish of just what went on in our business, without our consent," Stirewalt admitted.
Stirewalt said the crime was bold and hit at an economically challenging time.
“Everyone had not the best economic year in 2023, and that’s every brewery in this town," Stirewalt shared. “A lot of folks just don’t have disposable income laying around.”
Stirewalt knows a growing city means crime will increase, and while it's discouraging, something that is encouraging was the community's support.
“When we get a Sunday morning phone call that we’ve been broken into, it's made so much better by the Sunday and Monday that follow, to know that we still have fans out there to support us through that," Stirewalt said.
The brewery won't be able to replace the shattered door for a couple of weeks. As for the board covering the door now, they plan to have a Charlotte artist come paint a mural on it in the meantime.
Town Brewing said while the stolen items can be replaced, they hope it doesn't happen to anyone else.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is still investigating the incident and has not named suspects in connection to the case.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the many issues facing the communities we serve. We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. WCNC Charlotte is seeking solutions for you. Send your tips or questions to newstips@wcnc.com.