JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The River City Brewing Company will close its doors Sunday after 27 years of business.
Arguably one of the restaurants and bars with the best views of the Jacksonville skyline will be open for one final brunch and lunch from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The River City’s bar will host a dance party from 3:30 until 11 p.m. to commemorate the businesses’ success.
The Southbank institution will be remembered for birthday parties, anniversary dinners, post-game celebrations, community events, election-night watch parties and, perhaps most, by everyday patrons.
“When we hosted multiple super bowl events, to me that’s what I felt put River City Brewing Company on the map,” general manager Anthony Candelino. “I’m trying to think of all, the NFL Alumni Association. We had Fox’s party. We had Coors Light’s party.”
The restaurant’s closure comes after a redevelopment agreement to improve an area near Friendship Fountain with a 320-unit apartment complex and restaurant got a thumbs-up from the entire Jacksonville City Council last month.
The parent company of the restaurant, Maritime Concepts LLC., sold its lease to developer Related Group, which intends to buy out the remaining 76 years of a 99-year land lease with the city on Aug. 2.
The proposed project that is expected to cost close to $100 million will include an 8-story apartment building with more than 320 units, a restaurant facing St. Johns River Park and Friendship Fountain and a 500-space parking garage.
Boat owners who are docked at the River City Brewing Company marina must also vacate the premises after receiving a 30-day notice on June 17.