The whiskey company, J. Rieger & Co., was originally founded in 1887 in KC’s West Bottoms, but the advent of Prohibition forced it to close in 1919. It relaunched in 2014 through a partnership between Ryan Maybee and Andy Rieger. Since then, it has grown into a successful business distributing whiskey, gin, vodka and caffe amaro to major retail outlets in 22 states.
The popularity of its initial products and growing interest in future releases left J. Rieger needing to expand their facilities. Andy Rieger, the great-great-great-grandson of original founder Jacob Rieger, led the effort to acquire the two-story, 60,000-square-foot Ferd. Heim Brewing Co. bottling plant just south of Knuckleheads Saloon in the historic Electric Park neighborhood.
Rieger also acquired the attached 15,000-square-foot building to the south at 2700 Guinotte Ave., where the distillery originally was located. That building has become a rickhouse and warehouse, and the distillery occupies the larger structure, surrounded with amenities for tourists and visitors to enjoy including two bars, a historical exhibit, gift shop and more.
EDCKC supported with the expansion and historical renovation using tools such as historic state tax credits, that will ultimately create more than 60 new jobs in the historic Electric Park neighborhood.
See more at www.jriegerco.com