Motorworks Brewing Closes in Bradenton as Bands Say They Are Owed Thousands

Motorworks Brewing has turned off the taps at its flagship Bradenton location, and what was announced as a temporary closure for renovations is quickly becoming a much messier story.

The longtime brewery at 1014 9th Street West announced August 4th that it was closing immediately for an extensive remodel. Motorworks said it hopes to reopen February 1st 2027 under new ownership and management. Its website now lists the Bradenton location as temporarily closed for remodeling.

But as the doors closed, several musicians began speaking publicly about money they say they are still owed for performances at the popular Bradenton live music venue. Court records reviewed by news agencies reportedly show multiple small claims cases involving Motorworks, while musicians interviewed by the station say thousands of dollars in promised performance payments remain outstanding.

Musicians Say They Played the Shows but Never Got Paid

Among those speaking out is Ginelle Ziegelbauer, lead vocalist for Orlando based band Frequency. The group performed at Motorworks on May 23rd a show independently listed on local event calendars, but Ziegelbauer says the band did not receive the payment it had been promised. She is now pursuing the dispute through small claims court.

The accusations do not appear to be coming from only one performer. Multiple musicians have publicly claimed they were not paid for appearances at Motorworks, and 10 Tampa Bay reports that Manatee County court records show small claims complaints involving allegations of unpaid bills dating back years. Recent social media posts from musicians have also alleged that several bands were awaiting payment for performances this spring and summer.

That detail makes the situation particularly frustrating for the local music community. Live entertainment was not a side attraction at Motorworks. It was one of the brewery’s biggest selling points. Motorworks marketed its massive beer garden as a premier Bradenton destination for local and touring musicians, with a packed performance calendar that included live bands, open mic nights and weekly entertainment.

If musicians were being booked, promoted and expected to perform while previous performers were still waiting on payment, that deserves attention. Small businesses depend heavily on community support, but that relationship works both ways. The musicians, vendors and contractors helping create the experience customers are paying for are small businesses too.

The Closure Comes After Months of Financial Trouble

The unpaid performance allegations also arrive after a turbulent year for Motorworks. In May, Seacoast National Bank filed a foreclosure action involving Motorworks Brewing and related property owner Princess T LLC. The case sought roughly $1.9 million connected to four loans, including debt secured by the brewery’s Bradenton property. Motorworks later announced that it had become current with the bank and was working toward resolving the matter.

The company’s downtown Orlando taproom also closed earlier this year after a five day notice to pay rent or vacate was posted at the location. Reporting at the time said the notice sought more than $12,000 in unpaid rent. Motorworks continued operating its Bradenton brewery following the foreclosure scare and was still advertising a packed live music schedule into August. Then on August 4th the company announced the immediate shutdown and said the property would undergo an extensive remodel before a hoped for February reopening with different ownership and management.

Motorworks has been part of Bradenton’s craft beer scene for more than a decade, with its sprawling beer garden beneath a massive oak tree becoming one of the most recognizable brewery spaces in the area. There is plenty of nostalgia attached to a place like that, and a refreshed version of Motorworks could eventually become another successful chapter for the property. But before everyone starts talking about what comes next, there are legitimate questions about what is being left behind.

A renovation can give a building a fresh start. New ownership can give a business a fresh start. The musicians and other small businesses claiming they are still waiting to be paid cannot simply remodel away what they are owed. For now, Motorworks Brewing Bradenton remains closed, with February 1st 2027 listed as the hoped for reopening date. Whether that comeback happens as planned, and what happens with the outstanding payment disputes before then, will be worth watching.