Sanford Brewing Company goes cash-only, pays staff directly amid uncertainty about future

At Sanford Brewing Company in Maitland, a weekend of all-day happy hour and cash-only sales is something Manager Darwin Goh calls a great cause for a great culture, yet it’s all amid uncertainty over whether the company’s swan song is already playing.

Sanford Brewing Company is not sure to close after Sunday, Goh clarified. Rather, he says every penny earned over the weekend will go directly to the staff at both locations — in Maitland and Sanford — while two online fundraisers continue being shared.

With one of those fundraisers attempting to collect $125,000 — started by the owners in large part for payroll, with mentions of a building needing a buyer — and the other set up by the staff themselves, it’s altogether an effort to keep the drinks and money flowing at Sanford Brewing Company while not much else is guaranteed.

“We are uncertain about our situation,” Goh said, describing himself as a day-zero employee of some five years. “(...) I’m hoping for the best. We literally could be here tomorrow, open again, but I just know that today we have a great cause and I’m really excited to have everybody come in and help out my staff.”

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News 6 was there Sunday as the Maitland staff poured pints, mixed drinks and served up breakfast sandwiches, having opened early to catch foot traffic from a nearby farmers market.

“We’re here to do our best and it’s unfortunate that it’s uncertain, but I really hope for the best news,” Goh said. “Again, we could be back here tomorrow for all I know. So I’m really, really excited, at least that we have today and the whole weekend, and we’ve raised a lot of money yesterday and we’re hoping to do the same today and to do as much as we can for the staff.”

We met Neal Thomas, who told us he’s been going to Sanford Brewing Company’s Maitland spot ever since moving to the area in 2020.

“I had to find a place to eat every night, I found Sanford Brewing,” Thomas said. “Everything is good. I play trivia every Tuesday night, me and my friend and my brother and his daughter came over every Tuesday night, we won that trophy right over there so many times and we’ll miss that trivia now when they close down.”

Thomas remarked he would be sad to see Maitland location shuttered.

“There’s a lot of nice people there that treat me really good and I treat them good and we have fun,” he said, gesturing to the kitchen. “We have good times while I’m eating here, they’re really nice people. (...) I hope that they can stay open but, wait and see.”

For now, Goh invited prospective customers to come in for a beer and some food.

“We have a full menu. We’re trying to sell everything that we can,” Goh said. “(...) If people keep coming in (past closing time), we’re going to do our best to sell everything we can to do the best for my staff.”

On Sunday evening, Goh told News 6 that they will be open on Monday and throughout the week “until we sell through our inventory of food, beer, wine, and liquor. Same story with all cash sales going to our staff.”

Goh also said that the owners of Sanford Brewing Company are currently working with potential owners and buyers to keep both locations open.

In a statement, Sanford Brewing said they will remain open through the week:

We are staying open this week! Open at 11am on Monday and through the week until we sell through our inventory of food, beer, wine, and liquor. Same story with all cash sales going to our staff.

And on a positive note, our owners are actively working with potential owners and buyers to keep both locations open!

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