A new flavor for North
Working Man Distillers plans winter opening
Looking for a new drink to go with dinner? This business has you covered.
Working Man Distillers is prepping for its big opening day in North, with a plan to commence operations in January. Owned by John and Kelly Lendall of Attleboro, the business will be a combination of a distillery and a tasting room, focusing on bourbon, whiskey, and vodka. The bourbon will be sourced from other companies and then distilled and bottled at the North Attleborough location, while whiskey will be made on site. John said the finished products will have names like Deadlift Whiskey and Blue Collar Bourbon. Whiskey will be aged for four years in 5-15 gallon wine barrels to give it a distinctive flavor.
“The longer it ages, the better,” he said.
John said that starting this new business has involved a lot of education. He read a biography on George Washington and learned that he had run a distillery, which he found interesting. He went to distilleries in Boston, Baltimore, Sagamore, and more to pick the brains of the people who worked there. He’s a plumber by trade, and said that titles earned while learning—apprentice, journeyman, and masters—will be used for their products.
“They gave me a bunch of information that I wasn’t aware of,” he said of those that work at the distilleries. “I also worked as a chef, which helps with that [the business].”
Kelly brings 10 years of experience running her own photography business, covering combat sports like Bellator MMA. She said that editing and laying out photos helped prepare her for managing the minutia of a business. As John began to research more, she bought him a home distillery kit.
“I told him that he couldn’t use it until he proposed—he did a year later,” she said with a laugh. “We learned quite a bit through trial and error.”
The Lendalls are funding this business through a company called Mainvest. CEO Nick Matthews compared it to crowd-funding businesses such as Kickstarter. People can contribute a certain amount—from a $100 minimum on up—to help the new distillery get off the ground. Those that contribute will eventually have their investment returned, plus a percentage in addition, to be determined by the owners. Mainvest’s focus is on developing local businesses and improving the community.
“It’s really designed to take this economic development on a local level,” said Matthews. “What it comes down to, is it allows the community to build themselves.”
Kelly said that there is a lot of excitement for the new business. A liquor store in the area has already agreed to shelve their products. The owners have a lot of plans to support those that contribute to the business, with a Wall of Working Stiffs for any who contribute. Those that give $1,000 or more will get a barrel branded with their name.
“We want those coming through the doors to be a part of this,” said Kelly. “We want them to share with us. They get to help us grow.”
For more information, visit mainvest.com/businesses/working-man-distillers
