When the public’s demand for something to return is loud enough, sometimes that thing might actually get brought back.

It’s something that has happened in television quite a bit, but for every “Roseanne” revival that becomes an enduring hit, you get a lot of “Heroes: Reborn,” “Will & Grace,” “Murphy Brown,” “Punky Brewster,” “Party of Five,” and “24: Legacy” reboots that only make it a single season.

The same thing has generally been true in the retail world. People try to bring back nostalgic retail brands like Toys R Us, Sharper Image, and Circuit City, and the revival never comes close to achieving the heights of the original.

That’s because in most cases, the circumstances that caused the television shows, retailer, or retail brand to fail in the first place still exist. Yes, there have been enough successful revivals across entertainment and retail to make it worth trying (or at least to entice people to give it a go), but few reboots actually have staying power.

As a consumer and a longtime retail reporter, I’ve learned to be skeptical of revivals. There’s usually strong interest when a product or brand first comes back, but it’s hard to maintain that enthusiasm.

I’ve seen this same pattern play out repeatedly across retail, restaurants, and hospitality over the past 30 years.

That has proven to be the case for Mad Pecker Brewing Company.

Mad Pecker Brewing got a second chance

San Antonio’s Mad Pecker Brewing first closed its door in late March.

Owners Jason and Erika Gonzales first closed the brewpub on March 31, as they celebrated their 10th anniversary.

“The move wasn’t wholly unexpected. Last fall, the Gonzaleses encouraged community members to visit the brewpub, citing dwindling crowds, rising business costs, and changing beer drinkers’ habits,” Culture Map San Antonio reported.

After the shutdown, however, Jason and Erika used their Facebook page to share news of a comeback.

“That time has come. I am beyond excited to announce Mad Pecker Brewing Co. will be re-opening its doors soon. The efforts to re-open were made possible by the incredible support and the countless stories shared by customers, family, and friends about how much Mad Pecker meant to them in our final week of operation back in March,” they shared.

In that post, they shared that they would reopen in their original location “along with some well-deserved improvements to the taproom.”

That revival has ended.

The number of breweries in the U.S. has been shrinking.

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Mad Pecker Brewing closing for good

The brewery and brewpub’s second closing was shared by the popular As_Seen_in_SA Instagram page and confirmed by Culture Map San Antonio.

“Guys, I recently checked out #MadPecker for the first time and everything from the food to the drinks and service was on point. Sadly, they’ll be closing their doors for good on Dec. 30,” As_Seen_in_SA wrote.

That date has passed, and Mad Pecker Brewing has closed.

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The past two years have been brutal ones for San Antonio-area brewers and brewpubs.

“In 2025, area breweries Vista Brewing, Künstler Tap Haus, Faust Brewing, and Freetail Brewing’s Southtown taproom ceased operations following the 2024 loss of Man Overboard Brewing Co., Second Pitch Beer Co., and Weathered Souls Brewing Co. Alamo Beer Co. was recently bought out by an Australian firm after filing for bankruptcy,” Culture Map reported.

2025 is on pace to see more brewery closures than openings for the second consecutive year, according to the Brewers Association.

Why breweries and brewpubs have struggled

Breweries and brewpubs have struggled nationwide.

“It’s tough times for Oregon’s craft brewers,” Sam Pecoraro, president of the Oregon Brewers Guild and Brewmaster of Von Ebert Brewing, told American Craft Beer. “Between inflation, supply chain issues, employee shortages, a pandemic, and a downward trend of drinking, these local businesses need the support of the public and lawmakers to survive.”

Other brewers are seeing the same issues.

“People are going out less, especially since Covid. There is a lot of competition when it comes to a customer choosing to drink your beer, not just from other breweries, but many other beverage producers as well,” said Sonia Marie Leikam, cofounder of Leikam Brewing and member of the Oregon Brewers Guild. “We need to rally together to weather this storm. So please support your favorite local brewery.”

Breweries and brewpubs have struggled

  • Closures are outpacing openings nationwide: With brewery numbers declining year-over-year and 2025 seeing more closures than openings amid industry contraction. This reflects a broader pullback after years of rapid craft beer expansion, according to the Brewers Association.
  • Economic pressures and rising costs: Inflation, supply chain issues, higher ingredient and packaging costs, and rising rent and wages are squeezing small and independent brewers’ margins, making operations increasingly unsustainable, reported Vail Daily.
  • Decreased consumer demand and shifting drinking habits are significant factors in the declines. With overall craft beer volume production down (estimated 5% year-over-year) and younger generations drinking less alcohol, [this has led] to fewer on-premise visits and declining sales for many taprooms, shared the Brewers Association.
  • Market saturation and competition mean many markets have more breweries than they can support. When demand softens, less established and smaller operations often fail first. This follows years of rapid craft brewery openings that peaked and then began to contract, according to Inside Beer.

Related: Another U.S. liquor brand files Chapter 11 bankruptcy