Chicago Couple Fights for Wedding Venue Refund After Unexpected Closure of Great Central Brewing Company in West Town

A couple from Chicago is facing a dilemma as they attempt to retrieve their deposit from a wedding venue after a sudden closure of a brewery in West Town.

Residents of Logan Square, the couple claims that Great Central Brewing Company did not notify them about its closure, nor have they received a refund of their deposit.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Grace O’Leary recounted waking up to a friend’s message informing her that the venue she and her fiancé had reserved for their fall wedding had shuttered its doors.

“Initially, I thought perhaps they were just temporarily closed, maybe for a day or a week,” O’Leary explained. “You never really imagine that a venue you’ve booked would close without notice, keeping your money and leaving you in a difficult situation.”

Despite her efforts to reach out to Great Central Brewing Company…

“Their website has vanished,” O’Leary mentioned. “When you dial their number, it simply leads to nowhere. The line has been disconnected.”

Grace and her fiancé Samuel had put down a $5,400 deposit last July for their November wedding.

“It feels so violating to just kind of be, like, robbed of your money, basically, especially for something that’s like, such a big day,” O’Leary said. “And we put so much planning into.”

But now the venue sits empty with a sign on the door saying the “Tap room is closed for a post holiday break.”

It’s unclear when the brewery shut down, but according to the Illinois Secretary of State’s website, the West Town brewery was listed as NGS, or “Not Good Standing,” since February.

The Logan Square couple says they are grateful there is time to find a new venue, but not much time.

“I have to laugh, because if I don’t laugh, I’ll start crying, and that’s not going to be helpful,” O’Leary said. “And I know it’ll be okay. We’ll get it worked out. But it is just like, what? Like, who does this?”

ABC7 made attempts to reach out to the business, the owner and their attorney, but has have not yet received a response for comment.