(ABC 6 News) – Even with Dry January being over, the local brewery scene in southeast Minnesota is continuing to see a downward trend in sales to start 2024.

​2023 was a tough year for craft breweries as overall sales declined for the first time in a decade.

Thesis Beer Project in Rochester is no exception, as it’s recently announced on social media it may have to close its doors if sales don’t turn around.

Thesis co-owner Adam Fredericksen said the post to social media was one of the hardest decisions he’s ever had to make, but because he did so, he and his employees have seen an overwhelming amount of support from the community to keep their doors open.

“The fair thing to do was to give the community the opportunity to react with us and see if they couldn’t help push us through,” Fredericksen said. “If you want places like this to continue existing in this community, they do take community support one way or another.”

This January saw the worst sales total that Thesis has ever had since opening in August 2019.

In the two weeks since the post to social media, frequent regulars and those who haven’t stopped in the brewery for over a year or two have made their way back.

“I’ve been here two to three times in the last two weeks, and it’s been absolutely slammed every time, and it’s really good to see the community responding in a really awesome way,” said Zach Zurn, a regular at Thesis.

It’s not just beer drinkers lending a hand, but the musicians on stage as well.

“It makes me feel outstanding,” said Tyler Larkin, drummer for the band Clams, which performed at Thesis on Friday, February 9. “Anytime we can help a local business succeed with their livelihood, which is live music and great drinks and fun. It feels astronomical to be apart of something like this.”

Businesses reach their bottom line as musicians and beer connoisseurs alike are recognizing the value these businesses create in their community.

“There’s not a lot of places in town that do what we do, and we’d like to think we’re unique enough to stay busy in a town of 120,000 people,” said Fredericksen.

“This is a real community that really cares about the small businesses that uplift this growing music scene that we have. It’s raised my faith and my pride in the music scene here which has been awesome,” added Zurn.

With Dry January behind us, and a week packed full of events, Thesis and other breweries anticipate the community to keep the momentum of supporting these local businesses that they love.