It was a different era when The Growler Guys opened in Meridian.

The craft brewing industry had experienced explosive growth. Growler fill stations had popped up in grocery stores and gas stations. Filling a reusable beer vessel to take home seemed like a fun idea.

But times change. Growlers are a relatively scarce phenomenon nowadays.

So are fill-’er-up businesses like The Growler Guys. So it’s not exactly a shock that after nearly a decade, the beer-focused bar or taproom — whatever you want to call it — has closed. The last day at 2020 E. Overland Road was Sunday, March 3, according to its Facebook page.

Not that it won’t be missed.

“Oh no! We love this place,” wrote one commenter. “… It’s great to bring our dog with us.”

“Had many a great time there …” added another.

Headquartered in Oregon, The Growler Guys sells franchises. The Meridian store’s owners took over the spot five years ago, according to the social media post: “Along the way we have met some amazing people, shared so many great stories and so many great beers! We are at a time in life where we need to step back and shift our focus to other priorities.”

When Meridian’s location first appeared in 2015, it was “beer heaven,” as a Yelp reviewer once described it. (Even if Yard House at The Village at Meridian has way more taps: 140.) The Growler Guys had 54 handles when it opened: 42 of beer, six of cider, three of kombucha, two of soda and one of cold brew coffee. You could hang out and sip pints. Or you could grab a quick half gallon to-go. Oh, and The Growler Guys also filled 32-ounce aluminum “crowlers.” Remember those?

The concept feels dated nine years later. Seriously, how many beer enthusiasts now have 64-ounce glass growlers gathering dust on a shelf in the garage? (Stainless steel is the way to go, anyway.)

Still, there’s at least one Treasure Valley business dedicated to the refill concept, in name. Boise’s CopenRoss Growlers, 5120 W. Overland Road, has 60 taps at Hillcrest Shopping Center. It serves food, too — making it a restaurant, technically.

So what will happen to the former Growler Guys space in Meridian? It seems possible that it could reopen as another beer bar of some sort, right?

“Stay tuned for more updates,” its Facebook post said.