Vagabond Brewing has permanently closed all locations
Salem, and Portland, Oregon’s Vagabond Brewing has permanently ceased operations and closed all locations. Founded in 2012 by three friends Dean Howes, Alvin Klausen, and James Cardwell, who had all previously served in the Marine Corps together, Vagabond Brewing was the fresh and modern new brewery in Salem when it first opened as a taproom/brewpub in 2014 and later expanded to as many as 4 locations in Oregon.
Vagabond Brewing was known for beers like their Attack Owl IPA, illustrative comic book inspired can labels, and styles that more recently veered towards fruited sours and puree smoothies like their Fruit Distortion series.
Vagabond Brewing founders James Cardwell, Dean Howes, and Alvin (AJ) Klausen.
The three founders were motivated to create a place that would offer similar support that they had in the Marines, as well as an outlet for their creative endeavors. After spending nearly ten years in the service, they traveled the world looking for inspiration for the next chapter of their lives. Their friendships were solidified and tested again with Vagabond Brewing’s adventures and recognized in their tagline “Beer. Love. Adventure.”
In 2016 Vagabond opened a second location, Victory Club in Downtown Salem, Oregon. Their third location, Vagabond Outpost, opened in early 2017 in Albany, Oregon. Opening a spot in Portland was on the back of their minds for years but it took some time to become a reality.
Vagabond Brewing was among the most popular breweries in Salem in their first few years in business,, so popular that they expanded to their fourth location and first in Portland in February 2019. With a renovated 5,000+ sq. ft space and patio, a cocktail program headed by David Belcher (now taproom manager at Baerlic Brewing SE) and a great food menu developed by head chef Victor Deras (formerly of Olympia Provisions), and plans to install a new 7-barrel brewhouse, Vagabond Brewing’s story and esteem only seemed to be growing in 2019.
Vagabond Brewing Salem
Things took a turn for the worst later that year when in September 2019 a Harrisburg, Oregon teen sued Vagabond Brewing and a drunk driver that the brewery allegedly overserved for $3.5 million. The then 16 year old James Holland Jr., was pulled over on the side of the road with a broke down Toyota Corolla and some friends who had come to help him out when Jared Wayne Jones drove his Geo Prizm into them after leaving the brewery. Registering nearly double the blood alcohol legal limit, Wayne Jones pleaded guilty and Holland Jr.’s spine, pelvis, legs, and arms were broken, and his left leg was amputated.
Vagabond Brewing Portland
When Oregon governor Kate Brown mandated a statewide freeze on indoor dining to stem the spread of COVID-19 in November 2020 both Vagabond’s Portland location and Victory Club location temporarily closed like many other businesses. While Vagabond PDX did eventually reopen after a long 7 month absence in June 2021, the Victory Club never did come back.
Owner AJ Klausen confirmed Vagabond Brewing’s closure to the New School via messenger on July 2nd, “Unfortunately, it's true. I'll get back to you with a more indepth answer later,” but he has not responded to multiple further inquiries by the time of this story’s publication, and the brewery’s social media accounts have not been updated since November 2021. Calls to Vagabond’s Portland and Salem taprooms went unanswered.
