endings are a natural part of life.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closing of Watauga Brewing Company (WBC) on December 21st.

Since our initial opening in 2020, we have been proud to call the beautifully renovated building on the edge of downtown Johnson City our home. We opened the town’s first rooftop bar, offered expertly crafted local beer, and more recently, opened our fine-dining restaurant, Courses.

Unfortunately, the timing of our grand opening was full of challenges, as it coincided with the start of the pandemic shutdown.  Despite this we created wonderful memories with local musicians, special rooftop moments and catered events. We have had a spectacular view of our vibrant and growing downtown community: the opening of King Commons, Fridays after Five, Meet the Mountains, Candyland Christmas and more!

Over the last year, however, despite bringing onboard some of the most talented chefs in the Tri-Cities, we have struggled to find financial stability due to the ongoing worker shortage and the rising cost of supplies.

And so we are full of gratitude and sadness as we close this chapter of our lives.  We would like to thank both our dedicated employees and the support of our customers.  We look forward to seeing what wonderful opportunities await our staff and hope that our customers remember us fondly.

Over the next several weeks we hope that you will stop by the brewpub or make reservations at Courses to say “farewell” for now. Then keep your eyes open for the next business lucky enough to inherit the amazing space at 142 W Market!