My take: Remembering Iron Hill

One move, made before the COViD-19 pandemic  was not good news for Delaware. Iron Hill moved its headquarters from Wilmington to Exton, PA, after it was unable to open a production brewery at the former Don Pablo's restaurant near Christiana Mall.  The culprit was a strange Delaware law that limits the number of breweries under one owner to three. Iron Hill had reached its limit with the opening of a location near Rehoboth Beach, and legislators didn't see any reason to change the restriction.

 As the day wore on,  many took note of the  impact of a craft brewing industry pioneer in a state that now has more than two-dozen craft breweries, several with restaurants.

 John Medkeff, author and Delaware  beer historian, wrote the following:  It's sad to lose one of DE's brewing stalwarts -  one that played such a vital role as evangelist for craft beer in the state and region. We've lost a generous community member and an economic linchpin in making Main Street Newark and the Wilmington Riverfront work."

 As Medkeff  noted, it was Iron Hill that brought a local flavor to an effort to lure restaurants to the Riverfront. In Newark, Iron Hill's opening contributed to a turnaround of Main Street, which had become a barrier to attracting students to the University of Delaware.

In a Facebook post, Two Stones Pub offered the following:  "It's probably safe to say that without Iron Hill, Two Stones Pub & 2SP Brewing Company wouldn't be here today."

The Iron Hill alumni wrote that they were “exposed to great craft beer, chefs who cared & hospitality that was casual while also being focused."

Two Stones now six locations in Delaware and Pennsylvania and a brewery across the line  in Delaware County, PA. While Two Stones focuses  on craft beer, it  never added breweries at its locations. 

Other social media posts  noted the challenges facing restaurants and asked customers to patronize local establishments. "Dine in, order take out, get food delivered, book catering, and write positive reviews online, " Newark's Home Grown Cafe wrote.

Home Grown has been around for a quarter of a century (Iron Hill had a 29-year history in Newark). Both faced challenges that included a COVID-19 shutdown of the University of Delaware and roadwork on Main Street.

 Enjoy your weekend and patronize locally owned restaurants. I’m heading to Stewart’s Brewing Co. The brewery-restaurant in Bear celebrated its 30th anniversary in July. - Doug Rainey, chief content officer.