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Small group has “crazy idea” to bring Pabst Brewing Company back to Milwaukee
Small group has "crazy idea" to bring Pabst Brewing Company back to Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Backed by internet support, a campaign to return the Pabst Brewing Company to Milwaukee is getting a lot of attention. On Wednesday, April 23rd, the group looking to do this held a community forum. They're hoping that somehow, the community can buy the beer giant.
The plan has received both support and harsh criticism on the internet. Some call the idea "crazy" -- but a group of about 50 people think a community-run beer giant is a possibility.
So far, we're a small group of people who want to spread the idea," Nichali Ciaczio said.
Ciaczio is part of a group who wants to buy back Pabst and return it to Milwaukee.
The beer company, now headquartered in California, is rumored to be looking for a buyer.
Ciaczio's group's plan is to have the Milwaukee community purchase it.
"Wouldn't it be interesting to return the ownership, but returning it in a way that helps the social good, that helps the common good?" Ciaczio said.
It started as an idea floated around on the internet, and now, the idea of community ownership has exploded.
On Wednesday, the group met in person to give the "crazy plan" a real chance.
"The fact that it is an impossibility has not come to my mind. I don't see this as completely impossible," Erika Wolf said.
Wolf says she thinks community-owned companies may be the future.
"We see this as a guarantee. We own the company," Wolf said.
Russ Klisch, the founder of Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery is giving the group credit, but says a community buyout of Pabst is unlikely.
"It's kind of hard to run, especially a manufacturing corporation like that," Klisch said.
Klisch says PBR is actually still brewed in Milwaukee. The company pays MillerCoors to do it.
"You wish them luck. Obviously it's a new idea," Klisch said.
The group isn't totally unrealistic -- calling a buyout a long shot -- but maybe that's not necessarily the ultimate goal.
"As long as that concept is being thrown out there and considered, then in some ways this project is already a tremendous success," Ciaczio said.
For this idea to become a reality, it would need a lot of support. Some say Pabst could be seeking as much as a billion dollars for the company.