Local restaurant says farewell

Many within Sisters have heard that a beloved local dining establishment is in their final days of serving guests with great food, coffee and microbrews. Hop & Brew will be open through January 15, and then must close their doors due to a building ownership change with new plans for the site.

Hop & Brew evolved out of the original business opened in 2013 by Mandy and Phil Haugen, called Hop N Bean. Silent investors Ryan and Teresa Karjala eventually took it over and changed the name to Hop & Brew. In 2017, the business was sold to Jason Hoeft and his wife, Corina Williamson, who were excited to become an integral part of the Sisters community.

As many Sisters business owners know, there are challenges to successfully operating a business in a small town with a short tourism season. The summer can be strong with a large influx of visitors; however, the remainder of the year depends primarily on local support. This support can make or break a business and Hop & Brew has been carried through the hardest of times, including a pandemic, because of the local support they have received.

Staffing has been a challenge throughout the years. However, when this business evolved into a family affair, their prospects for continued success were strengthened. Family comes in many forms, which Williamson describes as their children along with the dedicated employees who have become an extended part of their family.

Staying open during a pandemic has been very humbling to Williamson.

“We never knew what restrictions would be thrown at us from one week to another,” she said. “We learned how to adapt and still be able to connect with the community. We offered pizza kits, which included all the necessary ingredients to build a pizza at home. We asked our customers to post pictures of their pizzas and tag Hop & Brew. It was so fun being able to see that.”

Laurie Francis has been a longtime and appreciative patron.

“I have gone there since they opened, and during COVID they have been a staple of our home,” she said. “They have fantastic employees and food is always consistently good and served quickly.”

Creative ways to connect with and support the community have been a major aspect of Hop & Brew’s contributions. Local cornhole tournaments, live music, ongoing art displays (by local artists), wedding rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, and outreach efforts are just a few examples of their dedication. During the pandemic, they also donated pizzas to the Shepherd’s House transitional living center in Bend. The interior setting and great menu has also become a welcome place for special lunch dates, as Angie Masters can attest.

“My dad and I have enjoyed many lunches at Hop & Brew, and through those lunch dates, I have found out more about his memories of growing up on the East Coast,” she said. “Always great food and great memories.”

When the news came that their lease could not be renewed, Hoeft and Williamson searched for a new location, hoping that Hop & Brew could continue on in a financially feasible way. They were unable to find something that would work and made the heartbreaking decision to bring this chapter to a close.

Both owners and staff are saddened; however, they are determined to focus on gratitude for what Hop & Brew has been in and to their lives.

Williamson shared that Hop & Brew owes its success to the wonderful community of Sisters who have come in every day with warmth, love, and good conversation.

“It’s been our honor to be your hub,” she said.

“Also, we wouldn’t be who we are without our amazing staff members over the years.

They have been our priority to keep employed and have a safe and happy place to work.

We have made a Hop & Brew ‘family’ over the years and saying goodbye has been an extremely painful decision.

But ultimately our time in Sisters has come to a close, and it is out of our control.

Thank you for letting us be a part of your home and your day.

Hop & Brew has been one of the greatest chapters of our lives and we will miss being a part of yours.”