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A bit of a rant on location


rtshfd

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I figured some people here would get a kick out of what just happened this morning:

My partner and I have been entertaining two different locations to great lengths ultimately ending in a bust.

For the most recent one, we were turned down this morning from leasing or outright buying the property due to moral reasons because "they've seen what alcohol can do to people." This is after ADVERTISING that the building would be great for a brewery (a distillery isn't that big of a jump in my mind). This is after jerking us around for the past 2 weeks allowing us to look at the place multiple times, bring contractors in, and over all just waste our time. In full knowledge of our intentions.

I want to find someone to buy the place just to lease it out to us in spite (yes, i'm joking...kinda).

Guess we're going to put up a cheap pole barn in the middle of no where at this point...

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rtshfd

What kind of rate did you get? What percent of the equipment are they willing to finance ?

I don't want to get too specific on the terms, but they provided a significant amount of our start up funds, enough to cover capital equipment and initial COGS. It was through a local bank we had strong connections with. Nothing beats face to face local contacts and relationships, along with a thorough business plan.

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I would strongly suggest looking at finding a town which really wants you there.

When I was looking for a city to establish in I spoke to a few cities and got various amounts of hesitation. When I walked into the first meeting with my city I knew I had found the right one.

Then they proved it. The first thing they did was help me find a suitable space. Then they got in their legal bulldozer and cleared away some ordinances which would have caused issue. Then they were proactive and approved cocktail rooms shortly after the state passed it (first they called me to discuss verbiage and what I wanted to have changed). The best part is that I'm their first distillery--and I'm still a few months from opening.

And it's not a small town either, it's the 6th largest city in Minnesota.

So, if anyone wants to be neighbors I'd love to have you here!

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I would strongly suggest looking at finding a town which really wants you there.

When I was looking for a city to establish in I spoke to a few cities and got various amounts of hesitation. When I walked into the first meeting with my city I knew I had found the right one.

Then they proved it. The first thing they did was help me find a suitable space. Then they got in their legal bulldozer and cleared away some ordinances which would have caused issue. Then they were proactive and approved cocktail rooms shortly after the state passed it (first they called me to discuss verbiage and what I wanted to have changed). The best part is that I'm their first distillery--and I'm still a few months from opening.

And it's not a small town either, it's the 6th largest city in Minnesota.

So, if anyone wants to be neighbors I'd love to have you here!

That's an amazing point. Having a local government that's helpful and knowledgeable has been a boon for us. The small town we're in is a suburb of a larger city in New York. They have a large brewery already established which has paved the way for us. They know the right questions to ask, they know the processes and regulations and they're very accommodating. The mayor himself threw his support behind us. The problems we ran into was with a particular location we thought to be suitable. That owner was less than cooperative so we've moved on. The town itself has been amazing to this point thus far.

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I'm sure someone has a better story than this, but here goes...

I'm actually on the city council in Clarkston, WA and my partners and I really wanted to open in Washington. So while we were still trying to figure out where to open (we had narrowed it down to a Port location or downtown,) I was at a council meeting when a few other councilors expressed their dismay at the prospect of having breweries, wineries and distilleries open on our main street. To make a long story short, we leased a building across the river in Idaho. Our first label is approved and we'll have product in Idaho and Washington next year for sale.

Idaho and the city of Lewiston has truly been great to work with. They're excited to have us and I think that makes all the difference in the world.

Good luck!

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We had the same experience with Quincy Street Distillery. We spent more than two years trying to get space in Michigan where the local township was less than cooperative. But when I called the village of Riverside in Illinois, where I live, after throwing in the towel for that season in Michigan, we got a call that night from the Riverside village president assuring his support, and had that level of support throughout the process thereafter. It makes all the difference. That is why Quincy Street Distillery is into its 4th year now and just released its first 2yo straight bourbon, while we are still investigating opportunities for Blue Star Distillery in Michigan.

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Just to cap off the subject...only about a week after we struggled with the previous location the town government and the building owners worked with us to find a location. An amicable population makes for a wonderful launch point. This is really happening...we have a location, equipment is kitting out nicely, funding, and support from the locals...I have to pinch myself!

Thanks for the help and the good discussion here! I'll have more questions, surely, in the future.

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