This holiday season a number of Pennsylvania distilleries are taking advantage of the state’s business friendly rules for the fledgling industry. Either through expo permits or satellite licenses, PA distilleries are showing up in shopping friendly locations.
A year ago, Wigle Whiskey opened a location in Pittsburgh’s Ross Park Mall. The location was successful enough that Wigle has kept it open and is looking forward to its second holiday season at the mall.
Across the state, and in another Simon mall, Philadelphia Distilling has debuted a creative pop-up at the King of Prussia Mall. The makers of Bluecoat Gin have popped up at the mega-mall in the Savor section of the upper level. The Fishtown based distillery has partnered with the mall’s West Elm to design the space.
At Bethlehem’s Christkindlmarkt, Eight Oaks Distillery is among the merchants at the holiday market that has been named one of America’s best by Travel + Leisure.
Phoenixville’s Bluebird Distilling is hosting a pop-up Bourbon Lounge on Saturdays during December at the Shops at Liberty Place in Philadelphia. Stop by the shopping hot spot for a mid-day tipple as the cocktail bar is open from noon to 6 pm. The lounge is in the middle of the Liberty Place, next to the Christmas Tree and just steps from Bluebird’s bottle shop.
Pottstown’s Manatawny Still Works will have four, yes four Philadelphia locations this holiday season. In addition to its permanent locations on Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, its stall in the Pour Collective at Reading Terminal Market and its Bottle Shop tucked away in One Penn Center, the distillery is activating the heavily traversed Suburban Station concourse just outside the Comcast Center’s food court to capture commuters who are heading home in the evenings. The pop-up is just downstairs from the One Penn Center location but if it can slow down the Comcasters rushing to their trains, Manatawny will capture an audience with expendable income.
Philadelphia’s New Liberty Distillery is part of Love Park’s Christmas Village. Look for them all month.
And across the street from Love Park is Lansdale’s Boardroom Spirits at Dilworth Plaza. Grab a bottle of their Nocino or any of their other spirits now through Christmas Eve.