Owners behind West Chester’s former Iron Hill Brewery are actively searching for new tenants, writes Erin McCarthy for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The restaurant chain announced its abrupt closure following its bankruptcy filing this fall. Massachusetts real estate investor John Barry, who has owned the property since 2022, recently purchased the space’s assets, including the building liquor license, to begin the search for new tenants.
Barry purchased the assets from former Famous Dave’s BBQ CEO Jeff Crivello, who previously purchased several Iron Hill locations in December. Barry’s subsequent purchase was formally announced on Christmas Eve.
Since he did not purchase the name, Barry shared that space will not reopen as Iron Hill Brewery.
Much of the 10,000 square foot space is preserved, including the furniture, kitchen, and brewing equipment. Barry hopes similar restauranteurs will show interest in the space soon.
Barry plans to ideally find new tenants by this summer. About the search, Barry said, “It’s really important to me that we find the right tenant for the West Chester community. It’ll take a little bit of time.”
After opening in 1998, Iron Hill helped lead the resurgence of West Chester’s restaurant scene. While the local chapter may be over, Crivello shared that some buyers are looking to potentially revive other Iron Hill locations across the chain’s East Coast footprint.
Read more about Iron Hill Brewery and the ongoing search for new brewery tenants in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on VISTA.Today in January 2026.
