You don’t always realise how much a place matters until it is about to close.

Paraoa Brewing Co, the gastropub and events venue on Whangaparāoa Road in Whangaparāoa, says it will close on Monday, January 26 after nearly five years.

Owner Zenice Gujarathi, known as Zen, said: “we had the ladder up the wrong tree, with increasing challenges and no growth despite efforts.”

Five years ago, he transformed the former Eddie Law Appliances building into a 700-square metre venue designed to seat up to 450 people, with a goal of bringing food, wine, beer and live entertainment to the Hibiscus Coast at affordable prices.

Zen says: “we've had an international brand offer to buy us out, and we've accepted the ‘offer we cannot refuse.’”

Via their Facebook page, the Paraoa Brewing Co team thanked patrons, the community, suppliers, and the musicians who supported the venue.

For the next two weeks, Zen said it will be “happy hour” all day long, and locals can drop by to take photos, pick up a t-shirt as a souvenir, and help them clear out stock.

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