Lebanon — The Lebanon Brew Shop is closing in order to make way for the relocation of Steve’s Pet Shoppe, which has seen its business disrupted by the city’s infrastructure construction on Mechanic Street, the general manager of the businesses told the Valley News. 

Both the brew shop and the pet store are owned by Stephen Rojek, who also owns the Lebanon Pet & Aquarium Center in West Lebanon and the Claremont Pet & Aquarium Center in Claremont.

The city’s construction project along Mechanic Street to separate sewer and storm water lines “unfortunately has had a major impact on our sales,” said Ben Mayes, the general manager of Rojek’s businesses. 

As a result, Rojek is moving Steve’s Pet Shoppe, which opened in 1995 in space he leases, to the building which he owns on Hanover Street where Lebanon Brew Shop has been located and, prior to that, was occupied by a health food store and deli.

Mayes said he expects the move to take place within a couple months.

But Mayes said he is still hopeful the Lebanon Brew Shop could open at a new location, and Rojek would like to sell the business and its inventory in order to keep the store operating. Lebanon Brew Shop has a loyal customer base of home brewers and also has been a meeting place for the Upper Valley home brewer’s club HOPS (Home Brew Outreach and Preservation Society).

“I would love for someone to come forward,” Mayes said. “We are not looking to make money on the sale. Basically for the cost of a car you can buy a business.”

Customers enjoy their lunch at the Phnom Penh Sandwich Station as traffic slowly rolls by at the intersection of Mechanic and Mascoma Streets in Lebanon, #NH, on Tuesday. According to restaurant owner Sarin Tin, the construction has had a significant impact on their lunchtime rush. “I just don’t understand why they do both roads at the same time,” Tin said. Tin was among several business owners who said that work to install stormwater lines and replace some sewer pipes has deterred customers from visiting the busy stretch of Route 4 just outside of the downtown area, hitting at their profits. 🔹 Full story at www.vnews.com/instagram. Link in profile. 🔹 (Valley News – August Frank @augustfrankphoto) #uppervalley #upval #vnewsuv #photojournalism #lebanonnh #lebnh #restaurant #business #smallbiz #customers #lunch #sandwich #reflection #construction #roadwork #intersection #traffic #road #cars #603

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John Lippman is a staff reporter at the Valley News. He can be reached at 603-727-3219 or email at jlippman@vnews.com.