Madhatter Distillery Permanently Closes, Will Not Reopen as Remedy 403

Less than a month ago - on September 22nd to be exact - I wrote up the story about Madhatter Distillery starting the process of becoming Remedy 403. They were applying for new liquor licenses, looking to expand their offerings and more. However, today - October 19th - they surprised everyone and made a rough announcement.

Madhatter Distillery Permanently Closes

According to a post on the Madhatter Distillery Facebook page, they have made the decision to close their doors completely. They cite difficulties such as "global conflicts, tariffs, supply chain challenges, and rising costs that businesses are dealing with" as some of the reasons that they have closed down. They also mentioned the high cost of their liability insurance premium.

They did want to make sure that rumors that have already been circulating were addressed. The statement below shut those down pretty quickly:

No, we did not "lose" our liquor license. Our decision to close was a business decision, plain and simple.

If you have to find a silver lining, it's that they chose to close on their terms, not someone else's.

READ MORE: Sombrero's Coastal Tex-Mex & Cantina Permanently Closes

Regardless, this is rough news for the people of Nacogdoches. Madhatter Distillery has been a part of numerous events, including Snackadoches, Nacapalooza, and lots of other things - They were even planning to be a part of Snackadoches Food Truck Festival Part 2. The Madhatter Distillery crew provided a space for food trucks to set up and sell their goods, and they were a venue where local musicians could be heard playing on various nights.

What's Next for the Madhatter Location?

Since this is so new, there hasn't been much discussion about what will become of the space at 403 East Hospital Street. Theoretically, another bar could move in the space. Or it could be something completely different. Either way, it's still pretty sad as the rough news of Madhatter closing down hits.

I'll just be keeping an eye on the space to see what becomes of it. Hopefully, it won't stay empty very long.