USA, NH: Pipe Dream Brewing set to close at the end of January

Pipe Dream Brewing, which brought a West Coast vibe to Londonderry, is set to close at the end of the month after nine years, Yahoo reported on January 3.

The brewery's final day will be Feb. 2.

The announcement comes five months after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor recovered more than $900,000 in back wages, withheld tips and liquidated damages for 44 employees from the brewery and taproom. Pipe Dream Brewing LLC was also fined $5,148.

A 220-word post on Facebook on Thursday did not mention the investigation.

"Huge thank you to our incredible employees who have made the past nine years unforgettable, pouring their hearts into every pint," the post reads. "To our loyal customers and members, thank you for your unwavering support and for being part of the Pipe Dream family."

Pipe Dream was opened in 2016 by co-founders and owners John Bacheller and Jon Young. They encouraged customers with gift cards to "visit and redeem them as soon as possible."

The news brought a flurry of comments on Facebook, including accusations of poor business practices, which Bacheller refuted in a statement.

"Pipe Dream Brewing has consistently prioritized its employees, striving to create stable and rewarding careers," he said.

"We have provided our team members with reliable weekly incomes, enabling them to support their families. Our full-time employees have benefited from comprehensive healthcare coverage, paid time off, and paid holidays," he said. "At no point has Pipe Dream's ownership sought to exploit its workforce, maintaining a commitment to fairness and support."

The U.S. Department of Labor in July said the business violated the Fair Labor Standards Act when it "retained tips paid on credit card transactions and denied overtime wages to incorrectly exempted employees for hours worked over 40 in a workweek."

In response to a Labor Department news release, Bacheller and Young wrote that they sought to create "meaningful careers rather than just jobs" and explained they established a "tip pool" which was redistributed into higher base wages, health insurance and a bonus structure.

"Regrettably, our use of the term 'TIPS' and allowing customers to adjust this amount was incorrect," they wrote. "Ownership takes full responsibility for this oversight and sincerely apologize for any confusion or misrepresentation of our payment system, none of which was done maliciously. Upon recognizing this issue, we immediately changed the terminology to 'service charge,' allowing us to continue fairly compensating our employees in today's economy."

The brewery landscape around New Hampshire continues to change with Cisco Brewers closing its pub in Portsmouth last month and Sawbelly Brewing in Exeter closing back in October.

Republic Brewing Co. in Manchester and Lost Cowboy Brewing in Nashua opened this past year.

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