Bars and breweries have been a big part of the Wilmington area’s fast-moving food-and-drink scene, but several familiar names have already disappeared in 2026.
Looking at these closures together shows how the Wilmington-area bar and brewery scene is shifting. Longtime spots and newer ventures have gone dark in Leland, Southport, near Wrightsville Beach and in the Brooklyn Arts District, even as other venues prepare to reopen in new locations or as different concepts.
Here's a look at six spots that have closed so far this year.
MOBA Beer in Leland
The first bar-or-brewery closure on this list comes from Leland, where The Museum of Beer & Art, also known as MOBA Beer, shut its doors at 9600
Ploof Road. Previously highlighted as part of the area’s growing brewery scene, the business combined beer and art in a shared space.
Edward Teach Brewing in downtown Wilmington
In downtown Wilmington’s Brooklyn Arts District, Edward Teach Brewing closed in mid-February at 604 N. Fourth St. The brewery, housed in a historic former firehouse, had operated for about eight years and had drawn attention for controversies involving its ownership before the closing announcement. Coverage of the shutdown noted that the last day of service would be Feb. 15 and that the future of the building itself remained a question.
Greenfield Lake Yacht Club in Wilmington
Greenfield Lake Yacht Club, a renovated dive bar at 1756 Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington, announced that April 26 would be its final day at that lakeside location. In a social media message, the bar’s operators said they were being forced to close or relocate as a road construction project was set to take place near their building. The owners have since reopened at 127 Princess St., bringing the concept to a downtown location and offering regulars a new spot to find a familiar bar in a different neighborhood.
Carolina Crab Brewing Company in Southport
In Brunswick County, Carolina Crab Brewing Company closed in May at 4810 Long Beach Road in Southport. It had operated as a local destination for beer drinkers before shutting down, adding another brewery loss to the year’s tally.
Palate Bottle Shop & Garden in the Brooklyn Arts District
Palate Bottle Shop & Garden, a longtime part of the Brooklyn Arts District scene, closed in June at 1007 N. Fourth St. in Wilmington. The business combined a retail bottle shop with an outdoor garden and bar seating and was known for its role in a cluster of food-and-drink options north of downtown.
Shipfaced near Wrightsville Beach
Near Wrightsville Beach, Shipfaced, a bar adjacent to the Sammy Sea’s Coastal Kitchen restaurant at 1610 Pavilion Place, has also closed. Shipfaced was carved out of the former Waterman’s Brewing space and operated as a nightclub with DJs, late-night snacks and coastal crowds. By summer 2026, both Shipfaced and Sammy’s Seas had shut down.
This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: 6 popular Wilmington-area bars and breweries that have closed this year
