Rockwell Grill is Closing
Tim Spies
Rockwell Grill, a craft beer staple in Cypress for the past six years, is closing. Sunday, October 30th will be their final day of business.
Rockwell has been under current ownership since 2010. During that time they built themselves into one of the premier craft beer-centric bar/ restaurants in the Cypress area. Many beer nerds, including myself, found Rockwell a welcome addition to an area that could still be somewhat described as a craft beer desert. Despite an increase in craft availability and demand throughout the region, none has been as craft beer centric and focused as Rockwell.
I personally discovered Rockwell in 2012 as the big craft boom truly kicked into the fervor we now know. And though I had been drinking craft for several years prior, Rockwell helped introduce me to an even greater number of breweries, especially many up-and-coming local options like Karbach, No Label, and Buffalo Bayou.
Along with a rotating selection of great local, national, and international brews, Rockwell maintained a quality menu, supported mostly by an assortment of delicious burgers. This helped to anchor the business for several years in an area where craft beer growth has been a bit slower than other parts of the greater Houston region. Rockwell was one of the first locations in the area to offer beer to go, including growler fills. They were also one of the only restaurants to allow frequent bottle shares, including one I personally have participated in for over three years.
I reached out to the owner, Tiffany Richie, regarding the unfortunate news:
“We have made the decision to close Rockwell. We have struggled with various elements throughout the year and our landlord’s indifference to do his part to remedy ongoing maintenance issues was the scale-tipping factor. Maintenance and environment quality have become so compromised that we feel it has become an impairment of our core values of fresh quality food, great craft beer, and outstanding customer experience. We love all of our customers and will miss interacting with everyone on every level. Our involvement with the craft beer community over the past five plus years has been extremely rewarding and we look forward to continued love and support.”
When asked about her thoughts on the craft beer market in the Cypress area,Tiffany had this to say:
“We have seen local craft beer growth even in the wake of economic downturn. I think people are still excited to support local independent brewers and try new beers. Our friends at the local breweries are turning out some of the best, most consistent beers we have seen and they will continue to be dynamic players in the industry. We look forward to seeing what they accomplish. The craft beer community is part of our family and we will continue to stay involved.”
Regarding their future,Tiffany hinted at a very exciting project in the works:
“…we are partnering with our friend, Eddie Jackson (winner 2015 Next Food Network Star, BBQ Blitz, Kids BBQ Championship), on a project at his upcoming Rosehill Beer Garden. We will release further details closer to launch. If you are a craft beer fan in the Northwest Houston/ Harris County area, you will not be disappointed.”
As a BBQ and beer fan, I am excited at the potential in this.
Rockwell was certainly one of the highlights in an area desperate for a true craft beer bar. They will be missed.
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