Black Frog Brewery Closed Midtown Location

The Midtown brewery has ceased operations as owner Chris Harris prepares for retirement.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Openings & Closings

A weathered brick storefront with industrial glass windows and an empty wooden table on the city sidewalk in Cleveland. — Black Frog Brewery has shuttered its Midtown Cleveland location as owner Chris Harris retires, with the space slated to become Pearl's Kitchen and Taproom. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Black Frog Brewery has officially closed its Midtown location at 1974 E. 66th St. following the owner's decision to retire. The space, located in the MidTown Collaboration Center, will soon be occupied by a new concept from Pearl's Kitchen.

Why it matters

The closure marks the end of Black Frog Brewery's local presence after owner Chris Harris previously shut down the company's 10-year-old Holland brewery location earlier this year. The transition shifts the site's operations to a new operator, Tiwanna Scott-Williams.

The Midtown brewery occupied space at 1974 E. 66th St. after opening last year. The transition follows the closure of a 10-year-old brewery location in Holland earlier this spring.

The players

Chris Harris

He is the former owner of Black Frog Brewery who decided to retire after closing his brewery locations.

Tiwanna Scott-Williams

She is the operator of Pearl's Kitchen who acquired the liquor license for the new space in the MidTown Collaboration Center.

Pearl's Kitchen

This is a local hospitality operator with existing locations in Midtown, Rocket Arena, and Case Western Reserve University.

The details

Tiwanna Scott-Williams has acquired the liquor license for the Midtown brewery space and plans to introduce a new cocktail menu, beer list, and food menu. The new venture, to be called Pearl's Kitchen and Taproom, will also feature a proprietary line of Pearl's beer.

Chris Harris closed the Holland brewery in the spring of 2026.
Black Frog Brewery closed its Midtown location in September 2026.
Pearl's Kitchen and Taproom plans an official launch before the end of 2026.

Market Landscape

This transition reflects a broader trend of established hospitality operators consolidating their presence by absorbing vacant commercial properties. It signals a shift in the local Midtown market as Pearl's Kitchen expands its footprint into the space previously held by an independent brewery.

Customers in Midtown can expect the space to transition over the next few weeks as Pearl's Kitchen prepares for its new taproom launch. The incoming operator plans to debut a revised food and drink menu, including a new line of house beer, by the end of the year.

The takeaway

The brewery closure highlights the shifting landscape of local beverage establishments as operators look toward retirement. Residents can expect a revamped menu and a new taproom concept to replace the former brewery before the end of 2026.