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Old Republic Distillery moving operations to North York
Old Republic has a production facility in Seven Valleys and a tasting room and retail shop in West Manchester Township.
Co-owner Denise Mathias, who runs the distillery with her brother, Bill Mathias, said production will move soon to a 6,000-square-foot facility they are leasing at 1327 N. Duke St. in North York.
The retail shop in the York Crossing shopping center will probably be sublet as operations transition to the new space, she said.
“It’s more centrally located in the county,” Mathias said of the new spot. “It’s a nicer building for what we’re doing. It’s more conducive to producing a consumable.”
Old Republic has seven different products, including a recently released rum. A dark rum will make eight, followed by a bourbon that’s in the works.
The North York location will create more opportunities for the distillery to add tours of the production area, Mathias said. The owners also are planning to add food service and be more like a brewpub.
“The plan is to do soups, sandwiches and app-style food,” she said. “We want to keep it local and utilize local butchers and farmers and keep it all fresh.”
Old Republic is hoping to open for tours and bottle sales by the middle or end of December.
“We don’t have to do too much,” she said of the space, which used to be a nightclub. “We just need electric and plumbing for the stills and bottling.”
The distillery also expects to make two small rooms available for meeting rentals or other private events.
Regarding regional distilleries, which are slowly evolving much in the way craft breweries and wineries expanded, Mathias said competition is good for business.
“Definitely people get an interest in it and want to check out all the distilleries,” she said.
Bennett Williams Realty handled both sides of the transaction on the North York property.
New location
