Nestled in the corner of a nondescript and 1960's era cluster of retail stores on the southwest corner of Atlantic Boulevard and A1A, Brother Tuckers is a small establishment that might be seeing the end of days due to the inevitable spread of modern development.
According to sources, the eight year old craft beer bar is closing at the end of the month. The friendly source of a bevy of Belgian pale and strong beers, Trappists wares, and good ol' American craft beer will, sadly, no longer occupy the sliver of retail space right off A1A.
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"They're tearing the building down," said owner Steve when I asked him about the rumors I had heard. He was hesitant to talk, and understandably bothered by the whole situation. "We can hold out until the end of August, maybe into September... it's a little unsure."
The property is currently held by Atlantic 3350 LLC, which is intending to build a double towered, mixed-use project with a hotel, residential, and commercial space, according to the Sun Sentinel. The project appears to be going ahead.
As a native South Floridian, it's sad to see some of the older, less developed areas go away. The restaurant, which serves its meals made from fresh day-bought ingredients, is something of an old-fashioned remnant of small town hospitality. These days, you're more likely to find a massive 50 tap draught system with LED barstools and televisions showcasing every UFC fight in a dizzying array of split-screen action and movie theater-like grandeur. The 'hole-in-the-walls' that pride themselves on service and neighborliness are slowly fading. Show me which restaurant you've been to lately that makes sure you know to exit through the kitchen because it's closer to your car?
The proprietors of this cozy Belgian-styled beer cafe hold dear the ideals to beer that bars in cities like Antwerp and Ghent hold. Namely, the serving a quality beer in a quality glass.
Ordering a St. Bernadus will see your bottle poured into the appropriate Watou-stamped bulbous goblet glass. Delirium Tremens will see you holding an elephant adorned tulip glass.
This slice of the Low Countries has been around since 2005, and is huge hit among the locals who call Pompano Beach and the surrounding communities home. Jason G from Yelp says, "The staff is very friendly and you can enjoy your expensive beer without all those obnoxious people you'll find at those industrial warehouse bars. This is the epitome of a dive bar. No loud hacky band playing. No need to ask for elbow room. The bar/restaurant does the job. It's really a unique experience for any beer lover, especially those who fiend for the Trappist stuff."
The future is still uncertain for Brother Tuckers. Will it live on somewhere else? That would be ideal. But for now, all we can do is make sure to stop in and drink some good beers before it's gone.
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