Vice Beer goes uptown as Trap Door Brewing exits Vancouver

Trap Door Brewing is closing their original location in uptown Vancouver, Washington and handing the keys to Vice Beer.

Vice Beer opened on the east side of Vancouver, Washington in 2022, and was the launching pad for El Viejon Taquería of which they are both partners in each others business. Vice, known early on for hazy, fruit beers, and smoothies, as well as their 80s and 90s pop culture aesthetic, has more recently embraced lagers and West Coast IPA in their wide lineup of styles and flavors.

Vice Beer was having a big 2026 even before this latest news. The brewery recently completed a new permanent year-round patio built around a brand new expanded El Viejon food truck and kitchen. In the east Vancouver taproom, Vice now serves morning coffee including pour over, mimosas, bloody Marys, etc. with a special breakfast menu from El Viejon, and brunch on weekends. In the brewhouse, new head brewer Phil Pesheck has added serious award-winning pedigree to their beers as the production output has expanded to meet demand. And on the business side, Vice recently partnered with Atari on special retro gaming inspired beers.

The upcoming new Vice Beer location at 2315 Main St, Vancouver, WA 98660 will be their third, and the second in Central downtown Vancouver following the tiny satellite pub ‘A Little Vice.’ To say that Vice Beer is busy is an understatement.

Vice Beer (left to right): Michael Perozzo, Phil Pesheck, Paul Linthacum

“We’ve always thought of maybe adding a 3rd space someday but we didn’t expect this one at this time. We weren’t actively looking,” says co-owner and taprooms manager Bria Perozzo. “We’ve done several Trap Door collabs over the years (including one before we opened called “Stay Classy”)  and really enjoyed working with Jake [Ed. note: Jake Watt is Trap Door’s head brewer]. My favorite beer was the “Flying Eldo Drop” and seeing Michael and Jake both dress up as Macho Man Randy Savage. We also have friends among the tap room staff and we were patrons of Trap Door long before we ever owned a brewery.”

Vice Beer’s other co-owner, Michael Perozzo, has worked with Trap Door Brewing for roughly 10 years via his media company Zzeppelin. But, the Perozzos were caught off guard when Trap Door owners asked for a meeting on August 2nd and presented the idea about taking over their lease.

“I went in thinking it was just a pleasant make-nice sort of thing given that we’d had a long working relationship,” says Michael Perozzo, noting that they hadn’t worked with Trap Door since June. “That’s when the question was brought to me: Would Vice be interested in the Uptown Trap Door location. To be honest, it was something I’d had in the back of my mind as a “wouldn’t it be cool if one day…” sort of idea. But I took that offer seriously.”

Trap Door Brewing’s downtown Vancouver location

Fast forward less than 2 months later and Vice Beer will be taking the keys from Trap Door Brewing on October 1st. The pub will close on September 30th, and Vice hopes to do a quick refresh and rebrand to hopefully reopen on October 7th. The Trap Door pub already has its own, darker, more sports bar oriented aesthetic, and the Perozzos see it as an opportunity to give it a Vice makeover but differentiate it from their other taprooms.

“All of Vice Beer is branded around the 80s and 90s,” says Michael Perozzo. “Our original brewery location leans more into the home entertainment era - video games, movies and TV. Our A Little Vice location leans into music and the arts. So our 3rd location will have a dash of sports. The venue already has 3 TV’s and is home to the Timbers Army Northern Alliance away day watch parties. It won’t be a sports bar. But some of the TVs might be playing the 1994 NBA All-Star game or The Miracle on Ice… or maybe Adam Sandler’s cult classic - Waterboy. We’ll have 5-6 standing arcade cabinets and some other surprises for people to enjoy.”

Trap Door’s popular covered Beer Porch patio and food trucks E-San Thai and Taco City will remain at the location as the primary on-site food options on adjacent property that is separately owned and managed. But, Vice Beer’s popular partners at El Viejon are also exploring a new Burgers & Sandos by El Viejon concept for the space as well.

Michael Perozzo and Britney at Vice Beer’s A Little Vice taproom in downtown Vancouver, WA

The upcoming new Vice location (nicknamed for now - Uptown Vice) is only 16 blocks from the ‘A Little Vice’ taproom, but as of now they have no plans to consolidate.

“Our current plan is to keep Little Vice rolling,” says Bria Perozzo. “We’ve been there for 3 years including several months of major construction. We’re building a great neighborhood following at Little Vice. We’ll keep 2 Dolla Tuesday going and we love all of our LV regulars!”

Trap Door Brewing’s taproom in uptown Vancouver, WA soon to become Vice Beer

It is a time of great change for Trap Door Brewing as well.

Trap Door Brewing owner Bryan Shull announced he was running for Clark County Council District 1 in April and has taken on more of an outspoken stance on public issues. And, a recent campaign rally hosted at that same Trap Door Brewing location attracted much controversy.

“Operating in the hospitality space has been ever more difficult in WA state, and in the City of Vancouver in particular,” says Shull about Trap Door Brewing’s uptown Vancouver closure.

In 2022 Trap Door expanded to Washougal, Washington, taking over the brewery and taproom from Logsdon Farmhouse Ales at 1834 Main St, Washougal, WA, in the same space and brewhouse that was built out for the 2017-closed Amnesia Brewing.

Bryan Shull and partner Jim West also have the highly anticipated 42,000 square feet Prairie View Station food trucks and beer hall in Brush Prairie scheduled for 2027.

Trap Door’s upcoming Prairie View project

“The manufacturing space and attached restaurant in Washougal remains at regular operation, and plans for the Brush Prairie food cart park are moving along nicely,” says Trap Door owner Bryan Shull. “Vice Beer will bring a renewed, fun energy to Uptown on Main St and I wish them well.“

Trap Door Brewing will remain open regular hours at 2315 Main St, Vancouver, WA 98660 until September 30th, except for closing on Mondays the 21st and 28th. Look for updates and an October opening announcement from Vice Beer.