Hello from Macon Booze

[Longleaf Distilling]

Hello from Macon, GA.

I am deep into developing a business plan for a new distillery based in Macon and I've been reading through posts for the better part of 3 months now. The distillery business is relatively new to me so I feel like I've been drinking from a fire hose. Our plans are slowly starting to take shape and the info posted by everyone here has been invaluable. I look forward to participating a bit more directly, but I've just been getting myself to the point where I can ask an intelligent question that hasn't already been posted a dozen other times.  This business has quite the learning curve.

We aren't fixed on the 'Macon Booze' name and would love some feedback. It seems a bit cheeky to me, but it's memorable. 

If anyone has any pearls of wisdom, must-have resources, or distillery start-up advice, please let it rip. I'm sure everyone has something they wish they would have done differently and we're wide open to new ideas.

Cheers!

[DrDistillation]

Best of luck to you in your new adventure.  Besides wanting to wish you success I did want to comment on the name "Macon Booze".

I hope I don't offend with the following but you did ask for feedback on the name.

Not crazy about it.  "Booze" sounds cheap to me, but maybe that's a personal thing.  I'd worry that people would associate booze with cheap and bottom shelf.  It's sort of the same as bar vs tavern or pub.

I don't know much about the area and did a google search.  Your area has a rich history and surely you could pull a name from history or geo/landmark things in the area. Ocmulgee Distillery for example using a river name that pops up on many pages.

If you want to keep the "Macon" in the name, something like Macon Spirits, Macon Distillery, Macon Heritage Distillery, Macon Heritage Spirits, etc

"Booze" to me just seems like it may draw the wrong conclusion from consumers to city employees & inspector you need approvals from.  For lack of a better way to put it, "booze" lacks "class".

 

[Golden Beaver Distillery]

You need to feel comfortable with your name and remember that you're not going please everyone.  Thank god the first amendment exists.

E.G. Booz was an actual brand in the 1840's who's bottle has gone on to be reproduced for nearly 100 years. https://www.bottlebooks.com/booze.htm

You might do a quick check on the USPTO.GOV site and see if there is an existing trademark under the spirits class.- E.G. Booz is already filed - http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=toc&state=4802%3Awdpr8h.1.1&p_search=searchss&p_L=50&BackReference=&p_plural=yes&p_s_PARA1=&p_tagrepl~%3A=PARA1%24LD&expr=PARA1+AND+PARA2&p_s_PARA2=Booz&p_tagrepl~%3A=PARA2%24COMB&p_op_ALL=AND&a_default=search&a_search=Submit+Query&a_search=Submit+Query

Macon Booze is not in use! It might be considered a conflict with E.G. Booz, however, never hurts to spend the $275 to try.  The government may say yes. There is also an appeals process that you can use if they say no.

When you do file make sure you get clothing and spirits (both classes) as you will want to use your mark on hats and tee shirts. The trademark will help protect you if your brand takes off and the guy down the street starts selling knock off t-shirts...

Good luck 

 

[Longleaf Distilling]

@Golden Beaver Distillery Wow that's a fancy whiskey bottle. I'm really not sold on the name either. It does seem a bit too lighthearted or on-the-nose for what we want to accomplish. Also, here are a number of breweries around town that I don't want to step on the toes of, one of which is 'Macon Beer Co.' That's a bit  too close for comfort. Honestly, we had to figure out a placeholder name for conference signups and forum names and that's what stuck for the time being. We're going to do the smart thing and have a marketing firm develop our brand from the ground up. 

@DrDistillation We already have a Ocmulgee Brew Pub, Piedmont Brew Pub, and Fall Line Brewery locally. Maybe your next career is in marketing. I have been leaning towards something using 'spirits' and something pointing to our 'Southern' roots. Having 'Macon' in the name seems like more of a liability than an asset to me. Outside of Middle Georgia, I'm not sure that anyone A. gives a damn about Macon and/or B. even knows where Macon is, much less it's history. 

[Pour Decisions]

'Macon Spirits' shine, sorry had to sing that one in the Jingle Bells fashion