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."