Highway Manor Brewing Has Seemingly Been Closed

Apparent Closing

Breweries closing and ghosting isn’t all that outside of the unusual. Typically though they don’t completely fall through the radar system – normally someone sees it and it gets noticed. Highway Manor Brewing did one of the most quiet closings in quite a while however.

About two weeks ago we went out to Sworn Brewing and just on a whim decided to see about Highway Manor Brewing. I knew it had been quite a while since we had gone out there (apparently two years). Amy and I had went, and I had gone out previously by myself on their opening night / weekend. Looking it up on some saved breweries Google maps I have on my phone, and on the three maps it was still listed as a brewery with the mug there.

But when doing a Google search, it popped up as “Permanently Closed”.

Seemingly no mentions of it on the various beer groups of the area; nor the brewery groups of the state; nor even websites or beer sites at large.

Checking their personal Facebook their last post was on April 16th, a simple post, a shared post from Blackfoot Daisy, just saying: “If you really want to strike back at Ticketmaster, go see a local band at a local venue.”

There is one comment on the post, from 9 weeks ago, saying: “PSA: this is closed down! It doesn’t say it ANYWHERE online but it’s abandoned.”

The next post before that is a post from December 24th, 2022 stating: “Opening from 3-8pm today.” And the last post before this one is from Thanksgiving giving hours.

So obviously, posting on social media was certainly not a huge pressing concern for the brewery, but even outside the April post being a share, the last real post was from December 24th, 2022.

Highway Manor Brewing as it appears when searched for on Google

Controversy

During the second COVID – 19 shut down in late 2020 and very early 2021; Highway Manor Brewing found themselves in a rather steeped bit of controversy.

The brewery had put a sign on their front door saying: “TO GO ONLY – BLAME CHINA.” And on various things the personal owner and brewer (via Facebook, Twitter, etc.) posted that it was the “Asian Flu” and that the “Chineese Pandemic Did This”.

On December 27th, 2020; PennLive ran an article discussing how Johnnie Compton III took the sign down; primarily at the urging of his daughter.

In the most recent of pandemic-related controversies, a West Shore brewery owner has taken down a sign that brought allegations of racism to his door.

Johnnie Compton III, owner of Highway Manor Brewery in Camp Hill, said once the COVID-19 regulations hit his business, he and his staff put up “funny signs” to alert customers to their new methods of operation.
Controversial sign on central Pa. brewery gone after owner says joke was ‘misconstrued’

The second shut down for restaurants, businesses of the social sort, casinos, etc; was done as a way to curtail problems with COVID – 19 that might arrive during the holiday seasons of Christmas and New Years Eve after Thanksgiving.

Johnnie had stated that he and his staff enjoyed putting up signs on their door, as well as internally during the tumultuous 2020 as a way to bring levity to the time. And with the second shut down, he was ‘agonizing’ over what to put up next when he thought of his “TO GO ONLY – BLAME CHINA” sign; thinking it was funny.

I’m sick of hearing about COVID.
Johnnie Compton III – Owner and Head Brewmaster for Highway Manor Brewing

The sign was originally posted on Wednesday, which was the 23rd. Compton stated that only the day of the PennLive article did the sign go viral on social media. (But it seems the sign was both up longer than Wednesday, despite the article and Comtpon saying so, and that it made the rounds of social media sooner than had been stated as well.)

While talking about it with his staff, someone made a joke about the coronavirus coming from China, which Compton said is a simple fact. With that, came their latest sign:

“TO GO ONLY BLAME CHINA” with the taproom’s hours and Compton’s phone number listed alongside it.

While the sign went up on Wednesday, Compton said it was only in the last day or so that the sign began making its rounds on social media and people began complaining about it, with some calling him a racist.

One post viewed by PennLive said the person was trying to support local businesses when they saw the sign. “So ignorant and xenophobic,” the person wrote, adding they would not be returning.

Compton said people have been messaging and calling him, including a woman who called him at 9:30 p.m. Saturday to call him a racist.

In the end, he said he decided to take the sign down.

“People are misinterpreting it, clearly,” Compton said.
Controversial sign on central Pa. brewery gone after owner says joke was ‘misconstrued’

Writing controversial signs certainly isn’t new for Compton at the brewery; previously he had written one sign saying: “Wear a mask by order of the Big Bad Wolf.”

For more information on the controversy, you can read the full news article here: Controversial sign on central Pa. brewery gone after owner says joke was ‘misconstrued’ by PennLive.

Problems

The controversy over the signs certainly didn’t help the brewery any. The Highway Manor Brewery opened on September 26th, 2020 during COVID – 19. Obviously not the best time to be opening a brewery; but many others have made it work that opened during that year (Rubber Soul in Hummelstown, The Englewood in Hummelstown / Hershey, etc.) Rubber Soul Brewing Company even opened just four days after Highway Manor Brewing.

Highway Manor Brewing left no messages on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, etc; stating why they closed. But there is most likely numerous reasons. The ghosting of breweries has become more of a prevalent things in recent months / this year; or at least the very minimal notice of imminent closing (like Mount Gretna Brewing Company).

Businesses aren’t obligated to tell anybody when they are closing, but it certainly fosters good trust in the future dealings with owners, helps their own staff, and at least is good etiquette to their faithful guests and customers. It just seems like the reasonable and nice thing to do.

No Word Has Been Received

No word has been received since a week ago when I sent one to the e-mail provided on the Facebook. (It has also not come back with a DAEMON response either though.)

I imagine a few maps will be needing to be updated soon to show that the brewery has been closed. Its a shame, when Amy and I went, we had a nice few beers (despite the lone dog just wandering the premises unleashed), and the time I went by myself at their opening – I enjoyed the beers and the sandwich.

An excerpt from my brewery review:

All around amazing beer and went fantastically with my sandwich. By this point I had moved to the center table and sat across from the one swing. I was informed by Johnny (Johnny Compton III – owner/brewer at Highway Manor Brewing) that a friend of his bought everyone a round. I was then joined by a couple – Lucas and Kaitlin who sat next to me.

They were both wearing ‘cat’ pants (pants with dozens of cat faces all over them), and quickly from talking to them I realized Lucas was Johnny’s friend. I thanked him for the beer, and for the rest of the night there, talked with them while we all drank, as well as talked with a few others who were there and one or two that came and went.
Brewery Review: Highway Manor Brewing

For More Articles on Highway Manor Brewing

For More Information on Highway Manor Brewing

The following comes from Untappd. Highway Manor Brewing is listed as a micro brewery from Camp Hill, PA. They have 54 unique beers and over 27,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.69 as of 10.26.23. Their Untappd description is blank.

You can follow them on the following social media platforms:

The brewery’s location was: 2238 Gettysburg Rd, Camp Hill, PA 17011.

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Last Updated: January 4, 2024By B. KlineTags: B. Kline, Beer Review, Brewery Closed, Brewery News, Camp Hill, Camp Hill Beer, Camp Hill PA, Closed, Closing, Compton, COVID-19, Craft Beer, Craft Brewery News, Ghosting, Highway Manor, Highway Manor Brewing, Highway Manor Brewing Co., Johnnie Compton III, PA Beer, PA News, PennLive, Shut down, Shutdowns, Sours, The Beer Thrillers

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