Wise Men Distillery, a business that carved out a name for itself in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, has announced that it will be closing doors permanently. Citing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic from which they could not recover, the distillery made their difficult decision public via a Facebook post on Wednesday, as reported by WOODTV. The distillery thanked supporters for six memorable years, expressing gratitude for the community's backing.
Starting off in Kentwood in 2019 before enlarging its footprint to downtown Grand Rapids in 2021, Wise Men Distillery initially provided a selection of flavored moonshine, whiskey, rum, and hard seltzers. As detailed by FOX 17, the business attempted to navigate through the pandemic's economic shockwaves by pivoting to produce hand sanitizer, at a time when demand for such products had peaked. Despite their strategic realignment, such efforts proved to be insufficient in securing the distillery's long-term viability.
The establishment was not just another craft spirits hub but also a holder of several distilling awards. According to their own website, Wise Men Distillery had been recognized as "Michigan Rum Distillery of the Year" and had earned Best in Class for its vodka at the Craft Distillers Spirits Competition. A testament to their popularity, their products were readily available in about 200 retailers across Michigan, such as Meijer, Walmart, and Trader Joe's, a fact noted by MLive.
The news of the closure was met with a wave of responses from the community, with hundreds expressing their disappointments and reminiscing over the "amazing era" that Wise Men's offerings represented. Despite the collective sense of loss, one of the co-owners, Tom Borisch, declined a request for an interview, preferring instead to leave a message of goodwill with, “God bless, and stay Wise,” according to statements obtained by MLive.
