Western Reserve Distillers Open For Tours

LAKEWOOD, OH — The long awaited opening of Western Reserve Distillers will happen Friday, the company announced. Tours of the facility will be given to the public and sales of locally crafted vodka will begin at the end of the week.

The tours are $10 per person. Friday's tours will start at 5 p.m. and will run until 9 p.m., with tours starting every two hours. Tours will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and continue until 10 p.m., with tours again running every two hours.

Tours will include a look around the 21,000 square foot facility, a discussion of how the company may grow and what products may be added to its offerings, and a talk about sustainability and how Western Reserve Distillers works with local farmers. There will also be a tasting of the company's vodka. After the tour, attendees will be able to buy an $18 bottle of Western Reserve Distiller vodka.

This is a momentous occasion for both Kevin Thomas, one of the owners of Western Reserve Distillers, and the city of Lakewood. "This has been a long time coming," Thomas told Patch. "We'll continue to expand what we're doing and what will be seen on the tours, eventually giving a more robust experience, but we wanted to start sharing our work with the public."

The Western Reserve Distillers project was first announced in December 2016. Residents celebrated the announcement that the Fridrich Moving and Storage would be converted into the new business, which officials hope will serve as an anchor point for the burgeoning Madison Avenue business corridor.

And Thomas is celebrating the fact his company will now be (partially) throwing open its doors and letting customers into his world. He's excited to share the progress that has been made inside the building.

"Production will be going-on during the tours," Thomas said. "At other distillers, you might not catch them in full-swing. We'll be exposing people to exactly how we do things."

He did add that the Distill Table restaurant won't be open until a bit later in the summer, but Eddie Tancredi's dining experience should start serving customers in July or August, Thomas said.

Still, this is a big moment for Madison, Thomas and Lakewood. Will you attend one of the tours?

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch