LELAND – A brewery that unexpectedly closed in December will gain new life — and more color — as new owners are taking over a commercial space in Leland, with plans to open before the end of summer.
READ MORE: The other ‘Half’: Beloved downtown sandwich shop to open near WB
The Museum of Beer and Art is preparing to open its doors at 9600 Ploof Road, with the goal of blending beer, art and live music. Though the opening date is uncertain, the owners hope to start serving in August, pending proper permits and completing final touches on the space.
MOBA Beer Co. will be located in the former Mannkind Brewing space. Mannkind closed abruptly Dec. 1, after being open for about a year. The owners posted the announcement on social media, before deleting all accounts permanently; they didn’t respond to Port City Daily’s request for comment at the time of the closure.
MOBA will be operated by a trifecta of new owners, including Jason “Foz” Fosdick (best known as the voice behind the morning show, Foz in the Morning, on Z107.5), Carl Cross and Matt Ray.
In February, a bank Fosdick has a close relationship with contacted him about the opportunity to acquire the brewery space. According to Fosdick, he jumped on the location and worked to form a partnership within days.
He reached out to others who have experience in the food and beverage industry and run successful operations. Ray is co-owner of Wilmington’s Starling Bar and The Ibis, and Cross co-owns downtown’s The Half, with a second location coming to Wrightsville Beach by fall. Fosdick owns Revival Laser and Skin Clinic and previously co-owned the Point Break restaurant in the Ogden area before it closed in 2024.
“I went and saw the brewery, bought it from the bank and literally in about a four-day window, I had to find Carl, I had to get Matt on board,” he said. “I wasn’t going to do it unless I had the right players involved, so I knew it was going to be a great experience and a great business.”
Cross and Ray were unavailable to speak with PCD, but Fosdick said it was Cross’ idea to open a combined art gallery and brewery. Cross once was the head brewer at Flying Machine Brewing Co. before opening The Half sandwich shop.
“He was at Flytrap and a thousand other breweries,” Fosdick added. “He is a brewer to the core and this was kind of his vision.”
The establishment will have two signature sippers — an IPA and a German Pilsner. Fosdick said he plans to drink “way, way, way too much of” the latter. “It’s so good.”
MOBA also will serve wine and mixed cocktails.
The establishment aims to offer a new adventure for Leland residents that Fosdick says will be set in a “funky, bright, beautiful space,” which is 5,000 square feet.
There will be regular live music and rotating art exhibitions. It also will have commissioned local artwork and Fosdick plans to use his industry connections to bring in musicians.
Already a guest artist is lined up to exhibit artwork and perform an acoustic set at the venue, though Fosdick wouldn’t reveal who in order to keep it a surprise.
“We’ll be doing some really fun experiences that I don’t know if Leland’s had that yet,” he said.
Fosdick aims for the spot to become a “neighborhood bar” for both Leland and Belville, as the location straddles the city lines.
“That city is booming and I want to get in early before the boom fully goes off,” he said of Leland.
Leland has grown 47.4% since 2020, with an estimated 34,451 people. Belville is also becoming a popular sleeper town to Wilmington, with a population growth of 7% since 2020. Fosdick said he believes this will bode well for the business.
Leland has two breweries currently, with Brunswick Beer and Cider and Leland Brewing Company in the area. MOBA will to the almost dozen in Brunswick County, though some, like Mannkind, have also closed its doors, including Red Hare Brewing in Shallotte and Check Six Brewing Company in Southport.
The closures are part of a trend, according to the Brewers Association. In 2024, the association reported that 430 new breweries opened while 529 closed nationally. It reported the U.S. craft beer industry is facing declining sales and rising costs.
Fosdick acknowledged as much.
“Breweries are going through more closings now than openings, right?” he said. “So kind of the brewery bubble has popped a little bit. But I really felt like in Leland, this was such a good opportunity because it is growing so much, and the offer just seemed too attractive not to try to do it.”
Fosdick is confident in the establishment’s success also due to the business expertise of his partners.
“We just want to make sure it’s perfect,” he said. “The closer we get, honestly, the more calm I’m getting. I’m just excited for Leland. There’s some really cool stuff over there and I’m tickled to be a part of that.”
Have tips or suggestions for Sophia Walsh? Email sophia@localdailymedia.com
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