The James River Distillery will be closing down at the end of June. (Mike Platania photo)
About a year after selling its building to VCU as part of the university’s athletics village assemblage, a local distillery has announced it will cease operations.
James River Distillery said last week it will be closing at the end of June, marking the end of a nine-year run for the business at 2700 Hardy St. The distillery posted the news to its website last week.
Reached by phone this week, Dwight Chew, the company’s head distiller, said they decided it was time to move on.
“We’re very proud of what we were able to do. We really created and put out some awesome spirits,” Chew said. “I’m sad to see it go, but sometimes it’s time.”
The 2,500-square-foot Hardy Street building was initially home to Cirrus Vodka, before it fell into foreclosure in 2013. That’s when Maryland-based businessman Jonathan Staples bought the property at auction for $375,000 and launched James River Distillery with Kristi and Travis Croxton of Rappahannock Oyster Co. The Croxtons sold their stake in the distillery in 2016.
Over the last nine years, James River Distillery operated in the building and built a reputation on its gins and vodkas. Cirrus, meanwhile, was reborn in 2014 and remains operational at nearby 1603 Ownby Lane.
Last spring, Staples sold James River’s building to VCU for $183,000. Then on June 10, the day James River announced its pending closure, VCU acquired the last parcel needed to complete its land grab in the neighborhood: the old Virginia ABC headquarters for $16 million.
Chew said the company had for a time considered looking for a new home for the distillery but ultimately didn’t make a move. It’s now looking to sell off the remainder of its product through the distillery’s shop on weekends, as well as at select ABC stores.
James River Distillery was one of the distilleries to open in the early years of the Richmond area’s still-ongoing booze boom. Following James River’s closure, there will be eight distilleries in the region, including three of its nearby competitors: Cirrus, Reservoir Distillery and Virago Spirits.
The James River Distillery will be closing down at the end of June. (Mike Platania photo)
About a year after selling its building to VCU as part of the university’s athletics village assemblage, a local distillery has announced it will cease operations.
James River Distillery said last week it will be closing at the end of June, marking the end of a nine-year run for the business at 2700 Hardy St. The distillery posted the news to its website last week.
Reached by phone this week, Dwight Chew, the company’s head distiller, said they decided it was time to move on.
“We’re very proud of what we were able to do. We really created and put out some awesome spirits,” Chew said. “I’m sad to see it go, but sometimes it’s time.”
The 2,500-square-foot Hardy Street building was initially home to Cirrus Vodka, before it fell into foreclosure in 2013. That’s when Maryland-based businessman Jonathan Staples bought the property at auction for $375,000 and launched James River Distillery with Kristi and Travis Croxton of Rappahannock Oyster Co. The Croxtons sold their stake in the distillery in 2016.
Over the last nine years, James River Distillery operated in the building and built a reputation on its gins and vodkas. Cirrus, meanwhile, was reborn in 2014 and remains operational at nearby 1603 Ownby Lane.
Last spring, Staples sold James River’s building to VCU for $183,000. Then on June 10, the day James River announced its pending closure, VCU acquired the last parcel needed to complete its land grab in the neighborhood: the old Virginia ABC headquarters for $16 million.
Chew said the company had for a time considered looking for a new home for the distillery but ultimately didn’t make a move. It’s now looking to sell off the remainder of its product through the distillery’s shop on weekends, as well as at select ABC stores.
James River Distillery was one of the distilleries to open in the early years of the Richmond area’s still-ongoing booze boom. Following James River’s closure, there will be eight distilleries in the region, including three of its nearby competitors: Cirrus, Reservoir Distillery and Virago Spirits.
Bought the property for $375 in 2013 and sold for $183 in 2021? Interesting.
Perhaps that included the equipment and everything else pertaining to operation of the company, rather than just real estate?
That doesn’t seem right, especially if it was the last piece that VCU needed lol
Who loses that much in this market?
something is missing, that makes no sense. Almost impossible.