Bergen Microbrewery Can't Expand Due To Government Shutdown

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Mike Roosevelt and Blake Crawford dreamed big when they opened a microbrewery in April 2016. But now, day by day, they are seeing that dream die because of the ongoing government shutdown.

Recently, they purchased $1 million in equipment, rented a bigger building near their current one in Hackensack, and planned to expand next month.

Now, their equipment is collecting dust, and they have to keep paying rent on a facility they are not even using.

Roosevelt and Blake need approval from the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which craft brewers depend on to approve labels for new drinks and get licenses for new facilities. The bureau is closed during the shutdown.

"Their dream and their vision has blossomed into the Alementary Brewing Company in fewer than three years. But their progress — and many small businesses like them — are being held up by the government shutdown that I fiercely oppose," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat who represents New Jersey's 5th Congressional District. "Alementary is a case study in jobs, development, and growth all being put on hold because of this absurd government shutdown."

Roosevelt and Crawford agreed.

"It’s time to reopen the government so small businesses like us can keep growing and thriving," they said in a statement.

Gottheimer was critical of federal lawmakers and their inability to end the shutdown, which began at midnight Dec. 23. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill on Dec. 19 that would have kept the government open until Feb. 8.

The shutdown has affected air traffic safety, food security, and is preventing people from getting tax refund checks from the Internal Revenue Service.

"This is, obviously, no way to govern," Gottheimer said. "We should sit down and work things out, like people do every day in their lives — not shut the government down and walk away."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: Rep. Josh Gottheimer addresses the ongoing government shutdown with Alementary Brewing Company co-owners (Courtesy of Congressman Josh Gottheimer's office)