Oakshire will pause operations at Oakshire Commons in downtown Springfield following service on Sunday, August 30.
Oakshire Commons opened in April 2025 at 416 Main Street as a taproom with pizza, built around Oakshire beer, Detroit-style bar pies and a comfortable place for people to gather downtown.
“We’re proud of what we built here,” said Oakshire founder and CEO Jeff Althouse. “The Oakshire Commons team has done exceptional work creating a comfortable, welcoming space for the Springfield community while serving our beer and pizza. We’re really happy with the team and the space. At the same time, we’re simply not meeting our business goals, and we’re not comfortable continuing with the current model.”
Oakshire is describing the move as a pause rather than a permanent closure. No decision has been made about a future concept or reopening date.
The Oakshire Commons space sits near a concentration of downtown offices and public institutions, including the City of Springfield, Springfield Utility Board, Springfield Police and the Springfield Public Library. Oakshire Commons was designed primarily as a taproom, and the company has spent time considering whether the space could also serve more morning and lunch business.
The current Detroit-style pizza program is designed primarily for guests dining in or ordering ahead. Pizzas generally take 20 to 30 minutes to prepare, making them a good fit for a taproom visit, dinner or planned meal, but less suited to someone looking for a quick lunch during the workday.
“We see an opportunity to make the Oakshire Commons space more relevant to more people throughout the day,” Althouse said. “Coffee and a faster lunch option are two things we’ve been thinking about, but we haven’t made any decisions about what comes next.”
Oakshire Commons will continue operating through Sunday, August 30, with regular hours planned through its final weeks, subject to scheduling adjustments.
