Newark's Anheuser-Busch brewery, a mainstay in the city for 74 years, will be sold and will close early next year, the St. Louis-based company announced Thursday.

Reports say the facility, located at 200 U.S. Route 1 near Newark Liberty Airport, has been sold to the Goodman Group, which will convert the plant to manufacturing use.

Anheuser-Busch is also shuttering plants in Fairfield, California, and Merrimack, New Hampshire, reports say. In all, 475 jobs will disappear. Employees will be offered jobs at Anheuser-Busch facilities elsewhere, or will be eligible for severance.

Moving production to other U.S. locations will enable the company "to invest even more in our remaining operations and in our portfolio of growing, industry-leading brands," said a spokesperson.

The Newark plant o

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