At the Brew Pub, Last Call

One appeal of the pub at Old Dominion Brewery was its clear view of the brewery's bottle line room. (2000 Photo By Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post)
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"The casual dining scene has taken a massive hit in the economy," Hollingsworth said. "We weren't happy [about closing], but people weren't coming."

"We have not yet decided what we will do with the pub space," he added. "We are exploring our options at this point."

Hollingsworth said the new owners of Old Dominion are not "the dark side," as many of the company's old fans might perceive.

"We have the best intentions to continue the rich heritage that Jerry Bailey started," he said. "We're focusing all our time and energy now to brewing great beer."

Coastal Brewing sells and markets Old Dominion and Fordham brands. In its announcement of the pub's closing, the company said the decision "will have no impact on other operations of Coastal Brewing Company. Brands under both the Old Dominion and Fordham names will continue to be distributed and marketed along the east coast of the U.S."

Hollingsworth noted that although local favorites such as Dominion Lager, Victory Amber and Dominion Oak Barrel Stout no longer will be served at the brewery site in Ashburn, Old Dominion brews will continue to be available at most grocery stories, as well as on draft at many bars and restaurants.

Although Old Dominion won't be throwing its beer festival anymore, the brewery will participate this fall in the Northern Virginia Brewfest in Centreville and in other area festivals in the future, Hollingsworth said.