Nocterra Brewing Co. shut down its downtown Powell taproom at 41 Depot St. on Aug. 30, ending a seven-year run.

Owners Lori Duncan, Bryan Duncan and Bruce Vivian closed both the Powell location and a Columbus taproom at Scioto Audubon Metro Park the same evening. By Aug. 31, a "for lease" sign was posted on the Depot Street building, Delaware Source reported.

In an email to employees obtained by 614Now, co-owner and co-founder Bryan Duncan said the company had exhausted every option. "Unfortunately we are out of runway to keep fighting," he wrote.

Duncan described operations at both locations as "on hiatus," leaving open whether the brand could return in some form. The owners had not responded to Delaware Source's questions as of Aug. 31.

Nocterra received a $23,855 business retention and expansion grant from the Powell Development Corporation (PDC) in 2025 to help fund a delivery vehicle, according to Delaware Source. The PDC's grant guidelines require recipients to stay at the project site for five years or face a clawback of funds. Whether the city will pursue that provision is unclear.

A 614Now source who identified as an employee at the Columbus location said full-time staff discovered their dental and vision benefits were no longer active the weekend before the announcement.

The brewery opened at 41 Depot St. in 2019 and expanded to Columbus in 2024. The Columbus location faced road construction that complicated park access during its first year, Delaware Source reported, citing Columbus Business First.

Powell Economic Development Administrator Sean Hughes told Delaware Source the closure reflects broader downtown challenges. He said the city needs more foot traffic and destination businesses, and that the loss underscores why the Village Green redevelopment project matters.

"You can't fit a certain type of business in an old house," Hughes said, pointing to the need for new commercial square footage downtown.

At an April 21 Operations Committee meeting, Hughes had flagged a related concern, saying one of the biggest complaints from downtown businesses is that Powell seems to shut down at 8 p.m.

Powell Police Chief Ron Sallows said at that same meeting that the city had more than 900,000 downtown visitors in 2025. A PDC planning retreat agenda from Aug. 25 noted foot traffic rose 6.7% year-over-year in 2026.

Still, the city acknowledged Nocterra's weight in those numbers. In a Facebook post, Powell said the brewery "draws tens of thousands of visitors downtown each year, helping fuel foot traffic for shops and restaurants nearby."

Nocterra was one of two breweries in Powell. Ill Mannered Brewing Company remains open.

Powell City Council voted Aug. 5 to extend Phase 2 of the Village Green Master Plan after receiving 381 resident comments. Design firm Pizzuti Solutions expects to host another community presentation in fall 2026 and bring a revised concept to council in December.