In 1869 Mr. Josef Fuchs filed an application to purchase the Town Hall of Merano at the price of 20,000 fl ÖW.
His request was rejected on the grounds that, if the property were to be offered for sale, it would be sold by public auction.
Following this negative reply, Mr. Fuchs bought alternative premises (Maierlechnerische Behausung) which were transformed into an inn and called „Hotel Forsterbräu“.

Forsterbräu Merano operated in its original form until 1950/1951, when the Fuchs family decided to radically refurbish the building.
The work began in the autumn of 1952 and was completed in the summer of 1954, working in continuous shifts, day and night.
The result was a new building with internal courtyard, two floors above ground and two basement floors.