Larry Bell On The Sale: Had To Have A Plan ‘For This Thing I Built’

Now that we've had some time to digest the stunning announcement that Larry Bell has sold Bell's Brewery to the conglomerate that owns New Belgium Brewing in Colorado, some items have been written that explain some of the thinking that went into the decision.

It wasn't simply some guy who's been working all his life at his passion, staring at a pile of money, looking to cash out and live the good life. Bell is 63 years old and certainly all people around that age are either already retired or seriously thinking about it.

Get our free mobile app

In an interview in the Chicago Tribune, Bell said life gave him a push last year. He was in the hospital for almost a week with cancer and lying in bed thinking about what would happen to the business. Bell has a daughter and son, and Laura Bell left the business a couple of years ago. Bell said he had to have a plan for "this thing I built". Bell didn't need to sell, but he wanted to do it while his health is ok, and had his "wits about him".

Larry Bell and the Chicago Cubs

Bell is a native Chicagoan, and splits his time between here and there. A mutual friend said he spent a good part of the 2014 baseball season at Wrigley Field, and you'll hear Bell's Beer as a sponsor of the Cubs on the radio. The Tribune says as part of the sale, Bell gets to keep his season tickets to the Cubs.

“They’re not coming in to muck up Two Hearted. They’re coming in because they want to sell more Two Hearted.” - Larry Bell to the Chicago Tribune.