BrewDog has announced plans to shut 10 of its bars - including its flagship Gallowgate pub in Aberdeen.
The Aberdeenshire-based craft beer colossus revealed the planned closures on Tuesday, with bars in Dundee, Leeds, Oxford, Sheffield, Brighton and York, as well as three in London, also to shut.
But the flagship Gallowgate site, the firm's very first bar, that comes as the biggest and most surprising blow.
As well as being a highlighted attraction on the Aberdeen Adventurer sightseeing tour bus, the Gallowgate bar is also seen as something of a pilgrimage destination for BrewDog fans from around the world.
The BBC reports a BrewDog spokesperson described the move as a "difficult decision" as a result of "ongoing industry challenges", citing "rising costs, increased regulation and economic pressures".
They added: "Despite our best efforts, and the hard work of our teams, it has simply not been possible to make these bars commercially viable.
"This decision is not simply a response to the challenging UK hospitality market, but a proactive decision to redefine the bar division's focus for long-term and profitable growth."
The closures has drawn criticism from trade union Unite, which has said some of the bars are to close within days.
Bryan Simpson, national lead for hospitality at Unite, said: "For BrewDog to give loyal workers less than four days notice of the closure of their workplace is not just morally repugnant, it is potentially unlawful."