Ransom announces closure, brewing company to take its place
The main entrance to Ransom Pub and Event Venue on King Street. Ransom announced they will be closing their business Feb. 18.
February 7, 2023
Ransom Pub and Event Venue announced that it will be closing its doors on Feb. 18.
The announcement was made on Instagram Monday. After the business closes, the building will be closed for renovations and be reopened sometime in the spring as the second location of SouthEnd Brewing Co., said the new owner, Megan Kevorkian.
Megan Kevorkian said plans for renovation of the building are awaiting approval from the Town of Boone. She said they plan on expanding the restrooms and bar area to accommodate more guests. There will be a large patio area added to the outdoor space at the back of the restaurant to create a beer garden.
Megan Kevorkian said SouthEnd Brewing Co. will “be focusing on just consistent restaurant and bar service, with, hopefully, live music several nights of the week.”
Megan Kervokian said she and her husband, Aram Kervokian, took over as the managing owners of Ransom Nov. 18, after purchasing the business. She said the sale of the building was not finalized until December, so they waited to make the announcement of Ransom’s closing.
“We didn’t want to kick people out, you know, there’s people that have jobs here and this is their livelihood, so we ended up staying as Ransom with a few small tweaks,” Megan Kevorkian said.
Ransom opened in 2018 under the ownership of Doc Hendley, with Todd Hendley serving as the managing partner. General manager Noah Schoenacher said he took the job of manager in September.
Schoenacher said he found out that Ransom would be closing a little less than a month before the business was sold to the Kevorkians.
“The owners just weren’t — they just couldn’t — maintain the spaces how they wanted, they weren’t able to uphold the vision they wanted because they got busy with a lot of other things,” Schoenacher said. “So it gave them an opportunity to sell, and to complete that vision, but through new owners.”
Schoenacher said he is feeling positive about the opening of SouthEnd Brewing Co. because “Aram and Megan plan to carry out the vision that the Hendleys did, but with their own twist.”
Megan Kevorkian said the first SouthEnd Brewing Co. opened in 2019 in the south end of Greensboro.
According to the company’s website, the brewery was opened to “create the perfect place to relax, have a beer, grab a bite, and strike up a conversation.”
Schoenacher said in his time working at Ransom, some of his favorite memories revolve around his work to provide a platform for local musicians and bands to perform live.
“We hosted two music festivals here, the first and second annual RamJam, which showcased a lot of local, college artists and bands,” Schoenacher said.
According to a flier on the front door, Ransom will be hosting events in the last weeks before closing, including a Super Bowl Sunday watch party.
