WeWork is locking up its Kombucha taps in California to stop tenants from using up the kegs
- Thirsty WeWork tenants in California may find themselves locked out of advertised perks like complimentary kombucha and cold brew.
- WeWork recently switched out its famous beer kegs with non-alcohol drinks while it figures out where it stands with California liquor license laws.
SAN FRANCISCO -- WeWork's Californian tenants were dealt the second blow in months as the co-working space started putting locks on complimentary kombucha and cold brew taps to keep people from consuming the beverages.
The shackled taps appeared just a few months after WeWork stopped dispensing beer at its California locations in order to comply with state alcohol laws. Instead of beer, WeWork had outfitted its California co-working spaces with kegs of kombucha and cold brew coffee.
On Friday however, WeWork tenants in at least one San Francisco location -where Business Insider happens to have its office - discovered that even the kombucha had become a controlled substance. Thirsty tenants in the WeWork lobby - a large communal space outfitted with ping pong tables, a snack shop and dueling taps - were unable to fill their mugs with the briny beverage because of the locks.
It's not clear why WeWork, which was valued at $20 billion in July 2017, has imposed the restrictions. A WeWork representative did not respond to requests for comment, leaving it unclear whether the change was a simple cost-saving measure, or perhaps served some other purpose.
One WeWork tenant reported that WeWork also occasionally put locks on the beer in locations where alcohol is still served, but noted that the locks easily slip off.
So far no incidents of kombucha or cold brew burglaries have been reported.
