Black Mountain Brewing, Town Officials Fail to Resolve Closed Deck Dispute

John Richardson walked out of a March 18 pre-litigation meeting "extremely disappointed," after Black Mountain Brewing, The RailYard and the food truck SMOKE failed to reach any agreement with the Town of Black Mountain over the forced closure of the brewery's upper deck along Broadway Avenue.

The session, which the town requested and which included attorneys for both parties, was billed by all sides as a last-ditch effort to avoid a lawsuit. A press release posted to Black Mountain Brewing's Facebook page the day of the meeting captured the shared stakes: "All parties entered the meeting with the shared understanding that litigation is costly and time-consuming and with the hope that a practical resolution could be reached, particularly in light of the town's acknowledgement of prior missteps that have significant impacted our businesses and the broader community."

No practical resolution came. Richardson, who owns both Black Mountain Brewing and The RailYard, said his goal remains finding a "win-win" solution for the business and the town, but the press release made clear the businesses' patience has limits. "We remain open to good-faith discussions, but those discussions must be grounded in practicality, fairness and a genuine recognized on the real-world impact the town's actions have had on small businesses," the release stated.

Black Mountain Interim Town Manager Richard Hicks, in an email to Black Mountain News on March 19, offered measured optimism without any timeline. "The town will continue working with the property on trying to find an amicable solution," Hicks wrote. "Unfortunately, it is complex in nature and will require some time."

The dispute traces back to August 2025, when a routine fire inspection at the brewery revealed unpermitted electrical and interior work on the upper floor and triggered a stop work order. After consulting with the North Carolina Department of Insurance and the state fire marshal, town officials determined that previous town employees had acted in error in their permit issuances and inspection practices. The review was further delayed when Tropical Storm Helene struck western North Carolina and forced local government to redirect attention toward recovery.

The closure and the town's acknowledgment of its own permitting failures have drawn repeated public comment at Town Council meetings and across social media. The brewery's press release emphasized that the businesses remain "committed to finding a resolution that allows us to continue serving our community, supporting our employees and contributing to the local economy."

With no agreement reached and the town conceding only that the matter "will require some time," the businesses and Black Mountain appear headed toward litigation unless a new round of talks produces what March 18 could not.