Closing News

Fort Worth brewpub Funky Picnic to close despite heroic efforts otherwise

Funky Picnic spread of food and beer.

Photo courtesy of Funky Picnic

A beloved brewpub in Fort Worth is calling it quits: Funky Picnic, a true original with a unique vibe and offerings that opened in the Near Southside in 2019, will close for good on April 27 after five years.

The owners shared the news in a Facebook post, citing a lethal combination of declining business and rising costs.

"Over the past year and a half, and especially the past six months, we have seen rising operating and material costs from inflation while consumer habits have shrunk back on their spending due to the current economy, leading us to sales now lower than what we saw in both 2023 and 2022," the post said. "We have put everything we have (money, emotions, time) into keeping these doors open, but it no longer makes viable sense."

Funky Picnic opened in June 2019 in the buzzy South Main Village development with a cool idea that was executed well: beer brewed in house alongside picnic-inspired fare including sandwiches, appetizers, salads, and desserts — an outgrowth of a home-brewing hobby for co-founders and friends Samantha Glenn, Collin Zreet, and husband-and-wife duo John Koch and Jenni Hanley.

Their lineup of beers included a rotating mix of classic beer styles along with brews infused with unusual ingredients, like prickly pear and pink peppercorns. It earned them back-to-back nominations in CultureMap's annual Tastemaker Awards for best bar in 2022 and best brewery in 2023.

They certainly did not lack for trying. Their herculean efforts to stay afloat included expanding their menu, adding cocktails, wine, and cider, even taking over a neighboring space to open a 21-and-up lounge. Co-owner Collin Zreet acquired Advanced Cicerone status, the highest level of beer certification. They rotated in great specials and new dishes like a smoked salmon Benedict, and launched a mocktail Dry Bar pop-up for those taking a break from alcohol.

They managed to grind through the pandemic, but the post-pandemic era has been uncertain. When they sounded an alarm in late 2023, customers rallied, but only briefly.

"Last November, we raised the alarm: sales dropped 20% in October, and we weren't sure how much longer we could make it after fighting through a difficult few years," their post said. "Fort Worth responded to our call, and we quickly saw doubled sales and an outpouring of love and support. It showed that our little brewpub had made an impact on our community, and gave us hope. After 10 days, our sales dropped to even lower than before, but it was enough to push us into December's event season and with a plan and some hope for the new year. Unfortunately that hope has ran out."

The post acknowledged that they were not alone in facing these problems, stating that "the entire restaurant and brewery industries are feeling the brunt of this, and we have already seen many closures and will continue to see more."

While their final day will be April 27, they said they may adjust business hours and menus to accommodate needs of their staff.

"We wish that our story would have ended differently, but the last five years have thrown us unprecedented challenges that we could have never expected," they said. "We hope that we can use this time to enjoy all the memories, beers, and food that we have created over the past five years, rather than just mourning what we are losing."

Closure News

Tropic Lady restaurant-bar on Fort Worth's Race Street says aloha

Tropic Lady

The dip trio at Tropic Lady.

A chill restaurant and bar in Fort Worth's River East district has closed: Tropic Lady, which opened in the former Fuzzy's Taco space at 2719 Race St. in 2023, has closed.

The restaurant, which closed in mid-December, was a sibling to Bearded Lady, the popular gastropub in Near Southside; their last Facebook post was on December 10. Their phone number is not working, and their website is no longer active. Owner Shannon Osbakken was unavailable for comment, but a Bearded Lady employee confirmed the closure.

Tropic Lady was a tropical-themed gastropub opened by a trio of friends: Bearded Lady owner Shannon Osbakken, her business partner Sarah Allen, and general manager Amanda Yunger. It offered a similar menu as Bearded lady but with more tropical-inspired fare, including shrimp tacos, bacon-wrapped grilled pineapple bites, and guacamole dotted with mango.

For a gastropub, they did interesting food with dishes like watermelon salad with feta and cucumber; or their Dip Trio, with mango guacamole, tomatillo salsa, and queso blanco served with house-made tortilla chips. Definitely not run-of-the-mill. They also had great lunch specials like a smashburger with curly fries for $10.

Food did not seem to be the problem.

Decor featured artwork and murals created by local artists. A beautifully landscaped patio wrapped around the building’s facade. So the setting did not seem to be a factor.

It's tempting to point the finger at its location on Race Street, which has witnessed a round of closings in the past two years including buzzy birria taqueria Caliscience, which closed in February 2024; as well as The Post at River East, a restaurant and live music venue that shut down the same month.

In 2023, three other restaurants on Race Street closed: Tributary Cafe, the Bon Appetit-lauded La Onda, and vegan burger spot Zonk Burger. But separate reasons can also be found for each of those closures, whether that be inexperience or lease issues.

For years, the city and neighborhood advocates have been trying to turn Race Street into a trendy hotspot. As part of the city’s Urban Villages program, the city of Fort Worth invested $5.6 million in revitalizing the area, making improvements to traffic flow, sidewalks, landscaping, and outdoor lighting.

When Osbakken opened the bar, she said she loved the area, stating "it reminds me of Magnolia when were first were on it 10 years ago in our old location. It's a great community and the neighbors have been friendly and reaching out."

And there are still restaurants along the street, including a popular Mexican restaurant called Tesoro, the Dough’d Up doughnut shop, and Kingyo Sushi & Ramen House, as well as a coffee shop, Race Street Coffee.

The Bearded Lady continues to flourish. Osbakken originally opened the popular gastropub on Magnolia Avenue in 2013. Six years later, she moved it to the South Main, where it’s still going strong.

closings