USA, AR: Diamond Bear Brewery to be up for auction unless suitable offer received beforehand

Diamond Bear Brewery of North Little Rock will be up for auction in October unless owner Russ Melton gets a suitable offer beforehand, Arkansas Business reported on September 4.

Melton told us back in May that several people had inquired about the property at 600 N. Broadway and that he’d considered selling the property and leasing it back.

If Melton doesn’t find a buyer, Blackmon Auctions and Thomas Blackmon Realty will auction the property and the 15,435 square-foot brewery on Friday, Oct. 25 at 9 a.m.

Melton, 67, told Arkansas Business that he’s interested in retiring, but the sale doesn’t necessarily mean the award-winning craft brewery will close. He said he sees it going one of four ways:

The new owner (call him “John Doe”) will buy the property and Diamond Bear will lease it from him.
• John Doe will buy the property and Diamond Bear will stay for a few months before moving somewhere else.
• John Doe will buy it and also buy the brewery.
• John Doe will buy the property, Diamond Bear will operate for a couple of months and the board may decide to sell the equipment and liquidate.

Melton, who previously worked for Michelin Tires, opened Diamond Bear in 2000 with his wife, Sue, in a former car dealership at Fourth and Cross streets in Little Rock. For many years it was the largest stand-alone brewery in the state and was at the forefront of the craft beer trend in Central Arkansas in the 21st century. For example, our 2010 cover story on the brewery listed just five breweries operating in Arkansas at the time: Diamond Bear, Vino’s, Boscos Restaurant & Brewing Co., Refined Ale Brewery — all of Little Rock — and Hog Haus Brewing Co. in Fayetteville. A sixth, Dark Hills Brewery was hopeful to open in Springdale later that year.

Diamond Bear moved to its current location a few blocks north of Dickey-Stephens Park in 2014, adding about 8,000 square-feet and a restaurant to its offerings. In 2023 Melton partnered with barbecue restaurant owner Bart Likes, who transformed the eatery into Ol’ Bart Southern Eats last summer.

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