Anniston, AL – Coldwater Mountain Brewpub has closed its doors effective immediately as owner Jason Wilson remains hospitalized with a serious illness, according to an announcement from the business and reports from employees.
The Anniston brewpub announced the pause in operations Friday through its Facebook page, describing Wilson as the “captain” of the business and saying its focus is currently on his health and family.
“Sometimes, even the strongest crew can’t keep sailing when the captain is down,” the business stated.
The announcement continued:
“A ship without its captain and rudder may still drift, but there are moments when the right thing to do is lower the sails, secure the lines, and wait.
“Our captain is facing a serious illness, and for now, our brewpub needs to pause operations so our focus can be where it belongs—on him, his family, and getting him well.
“This crew has weathered plenty of storms together, and we believe we’ll weather this one too.
“For now, the ship is safely in harbor. Not abandoned. Not finished. Just waiting for its captain.
“Thank you for your patience, your prayers, and for standing with our crew.”
While the public announcement characterized the closure as a pause and specifically stated that the business is “not finished,” multiple employees have separately reported that management informed them they had been let go effective immediately and that the restaurant was closing effective immediately.
At this time, Coldwater Mountain Brewpub has not publicly announced a reopening date. The business’s Facebook statement leaves open the possibility of resuming operations in the future.
Wilson Hospitalized Following Cardiac Arrest
The closure comes as Wilson faces significant health challenges.
In a public update shared less than a week ago, a representative for Wilson said he had suffered cardiac arrest on a Wednesday evening and had to be shocked several times before medical personnel were able to stabilize him sufficiently to place a balloon pump to assist his heart.
They described the days that followed as a combination of setbacks and gradual improvements.
According to the update, Wilson’s kidneys subsequently stopped functioning, and he was placed on continuous renal replacement therapy, or CRRT, a form of dialysis designed to provide slower, continuous treatment for critically ill patients.
They also said Wilson was tolerating the treatment and that his numbers were showing “very slow but steady improvements.” They also reported that his blood pressure was remaining within the range his doctors wanted.
“Jason is still very, very sick, but if there is one thing we all know about him, it’s that he knows how to fight,” they wrote. “We have seen Jason defy the odds before, and he continues to show incredible strength and determination.”
At the time of that update, Wilson remained in the intensive care unit at RMC in Anniston while his family and medical team waited for him to become stable enough to be transported to UAB, where his lead cardiologist is located.
His representative also expressed gratitude to the doctors and nurses caring for Wilson at RMC and asked the community to continue praying for his heart, kidneys, strength and recovery, as well as for the medical professionals treating him.
Closure Follows Chapter 11 Filing
The development also comes approximately one month after Coldwater Mountain Brewpub filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Federal bankruptcy records show Coldwater Mountain Brewpub LLC filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition July 15 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The filing listed assets of less than $50,000 and liabilities between $500,001 and $1 million.
Court records and previous reporting showed the business owed approximately $454,437 in federal taxes to the Internal Revenue Service and approximately $230,000 in state and local taxes.
At the time the bankruptcy filing became public, Coldwater Mountain Brewpub remained open and operating. Chapter 11 bankruptcy generally provides a business an opportunity to reorganize its debts while continuing operations, and the bankruptcy filing itself did not mean the restaurant was closing.
The federal bankruptcy case remained listed as an open Chapter 11 proceeding in available court-record reporting following the July filing.
Coldwater Mountain Brewpub was founded in 2021 by Wilson, Tommy Stevens and Earlon McWhorter and operated from the historic L&N Freight House at 1208 Walnut Avenue in downtown Anniston. The business combined an on-site brewery with a restaurant, bar, beer garden and entertainment venue.
The immediate closure marks another significant development for the business within weeks of its bankruptcy filing. However, Coldwater Mountain Brewpub’s public statement does not describe the shutdown as permanent, instead emphasizing that the business is waiting for its owner as Wilson continues his medical fight.
UPDATE – https://calhounjournal.com/coldwater-mountain-brewpub-founder-jason-wilson-dies-at-46/
