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AUSTIN (KXAN) – On Austin FC game days, the Circle Brewing Company brings the crowds.
“As soon as you see the band come out, it’s a party,” said Kevin Chung, a longtime soccer fan who KXAN spoke to at the brewery’s Austin FC tailgate party on Sunday.
But the brewery itself says it wasn’t always like that.
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“There was a time when we wondered if we would keep this location,” said David Lopez, Distribution and Events Manager at Circle Brewing Company.
Then Austin FC and Q2 Stadium moved across the street.
“When we heard that the stadium would be here, we held on to it,” said Lopez. “We spoke to the landlord and clarified everything.”
The pandemic hit and like other bars and restaurants, the Circle Brewing Company suffered. Lopez knew, however, that in Major League Soccer there was a light at the end of the tunnel. On days like Sunday, the company’s patience seems to have paid off as the trains dump hundreds of fans right on their property line.
“You come into the stadium, see the tank and stop by for a beer,” said Lopez.
The Circle Brewing Company had a record-breaking day of sales, according to Lopez, Austin FC’s home opener last Saturday. This success can be felt in other bars as well, as people welcome going out again.
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According to the Texas Comptroller’s records, Texans spent more than twice as much money on alcohol in May as they did in February.
“Fortunately, these companies are in need of COVID-19,” Chung said. “Especially for those breweries that have had problems for a long time.”
The Circle Brewing Company had to downsize during the pandemic. Now, not only has it brought staff back, but it has also hired new bartenders and new sales staff.
“It was a lot of work just planning the parties, planning who to work with, talking to the stadium people and getting our product to the stadium,” said Lopez.
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