‘Kid unfriendly’: Brewery bans those under 16 after complaints

CLEVELAND (WOIO/Gray News) - A Cleveland brewery says it is banning kids under 16 due to safety concerns and customer complaints.

Forest City Brewery welcomes beer drinkers, music lovers, sports fans – almost everyone – but owner Jay Demagall says now, one sort of person won't be welcomed: kids.

"This place is equipped to be a beer garden, not necessarily a playground," Demagall told WOIO .

The bar will be open to those 16 and over only due to safety concerns and customer complaints.

"I came in here to use the restroom, and there were five kids over there, throwing things around and breaking things," Demagall said. "We have to do something."

The bar has been open almost nine years. It's also the site of the country's oldest beer garden, open originally from 1865 to 1915. The place is packed with history – but no longer packed with kids.

"Kids were being kids," Demagall said. "But it became exacerbated when it was becoming a safety issue, and parents weren't monitoring the children."

And it wasn't just safety concerns.

"Some customers did complain about the kids and their behavior," Demagall said. "Then, we had staff concerns, as well."

There may be a time in the future, however, when kids are allowed back in.

"We are still looking at some ways to include kids out here but where we can do it in a safe manner, where we can have someone monitoring an area or a situation," Demagall said.

Demagall says he doesn't expect business to suffer because of the ban and looks forward to a fall filled with beautiful weather, baseball and football – for those 16 and older.