Restaurant and craft cocktail bar in Albany's 1832 Andrew Kirk Brewery, where staff and patrons report a playful child spirit and a 19th-century night watchman.
904 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$$
Mid-range to upscale dining; craft cocktails; reservations recommended
Access
Wheelchair OK
Main dining and bar areas accessible; historic building, upper floors may not be
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1832 · 1832 Andrew Kirk & Son's Brewery building, part of Albany's 19th-century brewing industry · Surviving brick warehouse in the North End historic district · Adaptive reuse as restaurant and craft cocktail bar (opened 2021)
The building at 904 Broadway dates to 1832, when business partners Andrew Kirk and John Outwin opened a small brewery in Albany's North End. The two eventually parted ways, and Kirk continued operations as the Andrew Kirk Brewery (later Andrew Kirk & Son's). Kirk was the son of a Scottish immigrant and became a significant figure in Albany's 19th-century brewing industry, which at its peak was among the largest in the United States.
The North End along Broadway developed in the 19th century as an industrial and warehouse corridor serving Albany's role as a Hudson River port and as the terminus of the Erie Canal. Brewing, lumber, and shipping interests built brick warehouses and small factories through the district, many of which survive today in adaptive reuse.
The brewery building changed hands multiple times after Kirk's era and served various commercial and industrial functions through the 20th century. The current owners completed an extensive restoration before opening The Copper Crow in 2021 as a restaurant and craft cocktail bar. The venue retains the brick warehouse character of the original brewery and has become an anchor in Albany's North End restaurant scene.
The restaurant maintains a dedicated 'Hauntings' page on its own website, acknowledging the ghost stories that staff and patrons have associated with the building since reopening.
Sources
According to The Copper Crow's own 'Hauntings' page and the Discover Albany haunted-places guide, two presences are most commonly reported in the building. The first is a young boy whose backstory in local tradition involves a fatal drowning in a brewery cistern during the building's 19th-century industrial era. Staff describe playful activity attributed to 'the boy' — small objects sliding or falling from countertops, glassware moved when no one is near, and the occasional sense of a child running nearby.
The second spirit is described as a 19th-century night watchman, an attendant who once patrolled the brewery after operating hours. Multiple witnesses, including bartenders and patrons, report hearing distinct, deliberate footsteps on the floor above the bar when the upstairs is known to be empty. Hudson Valley Sojourner's review of the restaurant repeats this story and notes that staff have grown accustomed to the sounds.
The restaurant treats both stories with a light touch — embracing them publicly as part of the building's character rather than presenting them as horror. The specific identity of the child and the watchman is not documented in primary newspaper or industrial records; the lore is oral and venue-curated. Visitors interested in the haunting should check the Copper Crow's own 'Hauntings' page for the venue's preferred telling.
Notable Entities
Reserve a table at The Copper Crow to dine inside the 1832 Andrew Kirk Brewery building. The restaurant openly embraces its ghost stories and maintains a 'Hauntings' page on its website. Best for evening visits when the building's character is most pronounced.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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