Tennessee Hills Distillery officials announced Monday that the company will invest $21.3 million to expand in Northeast Tennessee by adding a Bristol location to serve as the company’s new headquarters. The company’s newest investment joins its existing operations in Jonesborough and Johnson City.
Tennessee Hills Distillery will invest $21M to construct an automated distillery, which will be housed in the company's new Bristol headquarters.
The new Sullivan County location will join the company's other operations in Johnson City and Jonesborough. https://t.co/vPGenGwS7G pic.twitter.com/ewiaN5FArW
— TNECD (@TNECD) July 18, 2022
Tennessee Hills Distillery was founded in Jonesborough in 2014 and is a subsidiary of Rugged American Spirits. The company is well-known for establishing its first distillery in a historic salt house in Tennessee’s oldest town, and for partnering with East Tennessee State University to build a brewing and distillation sciences program, according to a press release by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).
“We are so grateful for the support Tennessee Hill Distillery has received the last eight years enabling us to grow into a super-regional brand,” Tennessee Hills Distillery Founder Stephen Callahan said in a statement. “Our mission is building something all Tennesseans can be proud of. It is an honor to join the Bristol and Sullivan County business communities to grow manufacturing and “experiential” tourism in the region. Thank you, Governor Lee, Commissioner McWhorter, the TNECD team and the leaders of the region for helping empower our quest to provide the nation with a True Taste of Tennessee.”
The company’s new addition in Sullivan County will create 45 new jobs over the next five years as it constructs an automated distillery, which will be housed in the company’s new headquarters on nearly nine acres off Highway 11 West, TNECD notes. With the addition of 45 new jobs in Bristol, the distillery will more than double its employee headcount in Northeast Tennessee.
“Tennessee’s strong business climate and skilled workforce continue to ensure success among companies like Tennessee Hills Distillery,” Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said in a statement. “I thank this Tennessee-brand for its commitment to job creation and look forward to seeing many more years of success in Northeast Tennessee.”
The distillery’s new headquarters will not only specialize in highly automated distilling and packaging but will also house a museum highlighting the history of Tennessee whiskey, NASCAR, music, and the distilling process, according to TNECD. Once complete, the 35,000-square-foot facility is anticipated to be the fourth-largest automated plant in Tennessee.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Tennessee Hills Distillery” by TNECD.
