Great Marsh to Be Offered at Auction

As seen in Gloucester Times (subscription required)

ESSEX — The owner of Great Marsh Brewing Co. on the Causeway is putting the property up for auction next week. Online bidding for the property begins at noon Oct. 22 and closes at noon Oct. 29.

Information for the auction that is being conducted by the Maine-based Tranzon Auction Properties can be found at www.tranzon.com/ap25089. Brokers are being welcomed and tours of the brewery at 99 and 103 Main St. are being scheduled by appointment.

The auction is an “owner auction, not a “bank auction,” Great Marsh Brewing Co. owner and head brewmaster John Collins stressed.

Although the restaurant at the brewery has been closed for more than a year, the main bar upstairs remains open 4-8 p.m. Fridays, noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays, and noon to 7 p.m. Sundays.

“We rent it out for events,” Collins said of the restaurant. “It’s a nice space and a lot of money has gone into it.”

Asked about the auction and potential sale of Great Marsh, Collins said he was ambivalent. Nearby businesses, including The James Pub & Provisions and the development of the Marshview Farm General Store, show the Causewayis economically vibrant, he said.

“We want to find someone who has a good plan for the place and does something with it,” Collins said. “There’s a lot of turnover and investment here.”

Whether he will continue in the beer business after the sale of his property depends on the outcome of the auction, Collins said.

“Potentially, I could do it,” he said.

In a statement offered by Tranzon Auction Properties, Collins said his energy and passion have been related to making beer.

“We originally opened with a partner running the restaurant,” he said. “When that partner stepped aside following (COVID-19)-related challenges, I realized that operating a full-service restaurant is not something I want to spend time doing.”

Collins, who lives in Hamilton, said much consideration has gone into his decision to place Great Marsh on the auction block.

“We’ve had multiple conversations with capable operators who want to buy, but need time,” he said. “I’m going to auction because it creates a clear, efficient timetable and invites serious buyers to put their best offers forward.”

Great Marsh is a “state-of-the-art” production brewery with canning and warehouse areas, a dedicated taproom, and aseparate full-service restaurant with “expansive marsh views.” The 11,799 square feet, two-story building was built in 2019-20 at 99 Main St., Tranzon said.

The restaurant seats 223 and has outdoor deck seating overlooking the Essex River and surrounding marsh.

In addition to the brewery, the site includes a 1,498-square-foot building at 103 Main St. Together, the properties total13,297 square feet on 1.8 acres with 52 striped parking spaces.

Collins had put the business up for sale or lease this spring and was looking for a partner to take over the restaurant operations. The property had been recently appraised for $8.5 million, the listing this spring said.

Facilities of Great Marsh’s quality rarely come on the market on Cape Ann, said Mike Carey, co-CEO of Tranzon Auction Properties.

“The building’s heavy infrastructure, modern brewhouse and panoramic marsh views make it ideal for an operator or investor,” he said. “Auctions provide real-time price discovery for buyers and timing certainty for sellers.”

Belinda Arsenault, marketing coordinator for Tranzon Auction Properties, said Tuesday that while the exact number of registered bidders will not be finalized until the auction ends, interest has been strong.