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'My heart goes out to them' | Community mourns death of Wooden Robot co-founder

Dan Wade, co-founder and director of operations, died in an accident Tuesday.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wooden Robot Brewery in Charlotte has temporarily closed both of its taprooms after co-founder Dan Wade died in an accident Tuesday, the brewery said on social media.

"It is with an extremely sad and heavy heart that we share this news," the social media post reads. "We are all still in shock and need time to process everything, but we will do our best to keep everyone in the loop for when we open up our taprooms again."

Medic confirmed they responded Tuesday afternoon to a deadly fall. Hours later, investigators could still be seen inside the taproom, located near the intersection of West Summit Avenue and South Tryon Street in Charlotte's South End neighborhood.

"We lost one of our founders, co-owners, and friend, Dan," the brewery said online. "Your thoughts and prayers for Dan’s family, his wife, and his son are much appreciated at this time.

Wooden Robot was founded by Wade and his best friend Josh Patton, according to the brewery's website. It first opened its doors in 2015, according to press material archived on its website.

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Officials with the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health (NC OSH) Division responded Tuesday alongside the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. NC OSH confirmed they have begun a six-month investigation into the incident.

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Credit: WCNC
Investigators are seen at the Wooden Robot Brewery in Charlotte's South End neighborhood Tuesday after a deadly fall.

The brewery first announced its closure earlier Tuesday afternoon citing "unforeseen circumstances." The mysterious and unexpected social media post prompted an immediate response from customers, who anxiously awaited more information about the incident. Data provided by Google showed an immediate increase in those searching for information about Wooden Robot Brewery. 

Its supporters were devastated to hear the news about Wade.

"It's been such a blessing in my life, so unfortunate to hear all this news," Dylan Jeremiah told WCNC Charlotte. 

Jeremiah has been part of Wooden Robot's run club since he moved to Charlotte a year and a half ago. He learned about the accident when he showed up for the run club Tuesday night and came across locked doors that had signs saying "closed until further notice."

"My heart goes out to them," Jeremiah said. "You can tell love and care went into this place. I'll be praying for them and their families and everyone involved."

Some have left flowers and cards on the brewery's doorstep following the news. 

Editor's Note: A push notification sent about this story Tuesday contained a typo. We apologize for the error.

Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookX and Instagram

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