Downtown Wilmington's lone craft brewery closed Monday after it was sold to popular city restaurateurs, who plan to reconceptualize the space and reopen a restaurant.
Stitch House Brewery, located in the heart of downtown at 829 N. Market St. across from The Grand for the past 6½ years, was sold last week to Scott Stein and chef Antimo DiMeo, owners of the popular (and rapidly growing) Wilmington-based Bardea empire.
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Stein and DiMeo own Bardea Food & Drink, Bardea Steak and The Garden, all located a few blocks from Stitch House on North Market Street. They also own the Pizzeria Bardea and Taqueria El Chingon food stalls at nearby DE.CO food hall and are preparing to open a full-service Italian restaurant this fall at DE.CO as well.
Bardea spokesperson Marie DiFeliciantonio said news of the purchase went public earlier than planned. “We don't have a menu or name yet, but it will serve as a neighborhood gastropub,” she said.
No time frame for the opening was announced. More information could be released as early as later this week, she added.
Stitch House made its mark through beer and skillets
The expansive 7,000-square-foot Stitch House was opened by restaurateurs Daniel Sheridan and Robert Snowberger in March 2018, complete with an on-site brewing operation headed by Andrew Rutherford, who previously made beer for Yards Brewing Co. and remained with Stitch throughout its entire run.
At the time, the 160-seat restaurant was only the second downtown Wilmington brewery in more than six decades. After Diamond State Brewery went bankrupt in 1955, the only other downtown brewery to make its own beer was Downtown Brewing Co. from 2000 to 2003.
For the record, Iron Hill Brewery, which brews its own beer, is located in the city's Riverfront area. And Wilmington Brew Works has operated outside of downtown on Miller Road in the city since 2018. The former Brandywine Brewing Co. opened in 2005 on Orange Street, but had its beer delivered from Greenville before closing after a short six-month run.
Stitch House and its 30-foot zinc-top bar was best known for its house-made craft beers, including the Philadelphia Eagles-themed Big Stitch Nick pale ale, craft cocktails and a sandwich-and-skillet food menu.
It hosted everything from live music and DJs to networking mixers and Canopy Crow Productions' weekly music-and-interview series "It's Bizness Time."
An offer they couldn't refuse
Sheridan said the goal was always to open Stitch House and eventually sell it one day. When Bardea approached them about a month ago, Sheridan and Snowberger evaluated the offer and decided it was time to sell.
"It was the best for us. You're always looking for an opportunity," Sheridan said. "Admittedly, we didn't think [it would happen] so soon, but it was an offer that just kind of came and allowed us to get out unscathed."
The deal was done last week and the restaurant's staff of about 15 ― most of whom have worked there since its opening in 2018 ― were informed then. Sheridan said some will join The Post restaurant in Wilmington's Forty Acres near Trolley Square , co-owned by Sheridan and Snowberger. Others may stay on with the new restaurant when it re-opens, he added.
"We're all friends, so that was the toughest part of the decision. But the business decision wasn't very hard at all," Sheridan said.
Sheridan and Snowberger will now focus their efforts on The Post (1715 Delaware Ave.), which opened last month and specializes in upscale barbecue serving both dinner and now brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. They may also soon add a take-out window for lunches featuring old-fashioned barbecue sandwiches.
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Stitch House to reopen for one night only
Even though a darkened brewery and locked doors greeted prospective customers Monday, Stitch House will live on for one night only.
It will reopen Friday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. for Frank-A-Palooza , an annual tailgate-themed event held in honor of the late Frank Kaszeta, former director of operations for Stitch House parent company Forty Acres Hospitality, who died in 2021 at 32 .
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The memorial gathering, tied to the Eagles' season opener against the Green Bay Packers with an 8:15 kickoff that night, will include a silent auction, sets by DJ Andrew Hugh, tailgate food and the taps pouring the last drops of Stitch House's craft brews.
"It will be our last Frank-A-Palooza there," Sheridan said, "and will also be our going away party, pretty much."
Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook ( @ryancormier ) and X ( @ryancormier ).
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Downtown Wilmington's only brewery sold to Bardea, eyeing to reopen with similar concept
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