A new brewery called MOBA Beer Co. (Museum of Beer and Art) is opening in Leland, North Carolina, in the former Mannkind Brewing space that closed abruptly in December 2024. The venture is owned by Jason "Foz" Fosdick, Carl Cross, and Matt Ray, with Cross envisioning a combined art gallery and brewery. The 5,000-square-foot space will feature rotating art exhibitions, commissioned local artwork, live music, and serve beer, wine, and cocktails, aiming to open by late August 2025.
This matters because it represents a growing trend of blending craft beer with visual arts to create community gathering spaces, particularly in rapidly growing suburban areas like Leland, which has seen nearly 50% population growth since 2020. The model of a "museum of beer and art" could serve as a template for other small cities seeking to foster local culture and economic development through hybrid art-and-hospitality venues.