Axle Brewing Falls Prey To Daunting Craft Beer Economics, Plus 7 Things To Know

Welcome to a bonus Friday edition of your Daily Detroit.

Today, we discuss the sad news that Axle Brewing will shutter its Livernois Taproom June 30th, barely two years after it first opened.

Dave Phillips, one-half of Podcast Detroit and the IT in the D podcast, and himself a former partner in a failed craft brewery, joins us to discuss how difficult it is to succeed in an uber-competitive sector, where even established brands have to fight for shelf space, and drinkers like me fret about overabundance.

Axle President Dan Riley told the Freep the brand doesn't have the scale or cost structure to see a "clear path" to turning a profit.

Elsewhere:

• Detroit may be dealing with a serial killer after three women believed to be prostitutes were found dead in abandoned homes on the city's east side. Tipsters are asked to call (313) 596-2260. [Detroit News]
• There's an update on Dan Gilbert, nearly two weeks after the billionaire real estate developer suffered a stroke.
• Detroit's Public Lighting Authority is starting to replace those malfunctioned LED streetlights while a lawsuit against the company that made them proceeds.
• Hatch Detroit has doubled its prize to $100,000 for aspiring business startups looking to open brick-and-mortar storefronts in the city.
• Fresh Wagon, a bus service connecting Detroit neighborhoods to Eastern Market, has shut down.
• Grosse Pointe Park is getting a new pizza joint called The Bricks.
• And happy National Doughnut Day! We bring you some truly ridiculous trivia.

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