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Intuition Ale Works, a beloved fixture in downtown Jacksonville, is set to close permanently, citing escalating costs and industry-wide challenges. Despite this, neighboring businesses remain optimistic about the future transformation of the area.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For many years, downtown Jacksonville has weathered slow periods, economic hurdles, and a series of revitalization promises. This week, one of its enduring stalwarts has announced it will cease operations.
Intuition Ale Works, a craft brewery that has been a downtown mainstay since 2016, revealed it will close its doors for good on April 24. The brewery has been trying to find a buyer in recent months, but faced with increasing expenses and evolving consumer trends in the craft beer sector, the decision to close was made.
Next door, the team at Manifest Distilling expressed sadness over the closure but remains hopeful about the potential for downtown’s redevelopment.
David Cohen, who co-founded Manifest Distilling, launched his enterprise on East Forsyth Street a decade ago. Throughout the years, he has witnessed the numerous changes and challenges that downtown has faced.
“We survived those 10 years of being here, of seeing those seasonal elements, of going through pandemics, of being shut down because of the fire across the street,” Cohen said. “So we’ve kind of survived through all that.”
Manifest has adapted over time, expanding from a tasting room to retail distribution and opening its doors to football fans on Jacksonville Jaguars game days. Cohen said Sundays, especially during popular matchups, are among the distillery’s busiest days.
But Intuition Ale Works, located just steps away, announced this week that it plans to permanently close after nine months of searching for a buyer.
Founder Ben Davis said it’s due to rising costs and industry challenges in a social media post announcing the decision.
“The craft beer industry has changed dramatically since COVID,” Davis wrote. “Costs are higher, margins are thinner, and competition is relentless.”
Davis also said he believed in the long-term potential of downtown Jacksonville, but acknowledged that optimism alone was not enough to sustain the business.
“Renderings and potential do not pay the bills,” he wrote.
For Cohen, the loss is deeply personal. Manifest and Intuition opened around the same time and grew alongside each other for nearly a decade.
“We’re devastated to see them go,” Cohen said. “We built out this space at the exact same time with them. They’ve been here through thick and thin with us for 10 years.”
As Intuition prepares to close, major redevelopment projects are still on the horizon for downtown Jacksonville, including the Gateway Jax project, a new Four Seasons hotel and the Jaguars’ $1.4 billion “Stadium of the Future” renovations.
City leaders hope those projects will bring increased foot traffic and new opportunities for businesses that have weathered years of uncertainty.
“We’re excited,” Cohen said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
Gateway Jax is expected to open in 2028. The new Four Seasons hotel is slated to open in 2027, and stadium renovations are projected to be completed in 2028.