Local Distillery Doubles

Owners, Andy and Jen Schmunk, Grit City DistilleryAugust 31, 2021

When local businessperson Brendon Hamilton purchased four-acres of land and built a three-story building on the Trans-Canada Highway, owners of Grit City Distillery, Andy and Jen Schmunk, decided it was time to open a second location, The Whiskey District.

Located on the third floor of Badlands View, The Whiskey District overlooks the Saamis Tepee and a popular baseball diamond, and the large windows that surround the room give a rooftop patio feel.

“Since the space and capacity are much larger here, we’re able to host more special events and sport teams,” says Andy. “Our kitchen space allows us the opportunity to diversify our food menu, and we plan to showcase 20 beers on tap, including three from each brewery in Medicine Hat.”

Andy describes Medicine Hat as the perfect size for a business owner to gain traction using social media and word of mouth. Having the additional exposure from its ideal location on the highway, Andy and Jen look forward to taking advantage of geographical marketing opportunities.

“Nearly 40,000 cars drive by this location daily. It’s the perfect stop-off for those traveling to Medicine Hat, through Medicine Hat or living in Medicine Hat,” says Andy. “It’s very central and residents can use the trail system to walk or bike to us. If you live on the other side of town, the highway makes it less than a 15-minute drive away.”

The couple gained friendships when working with Spider Electric and Berger’s Plumbing and Company for their first location, and they reached out to them again to complete renovations for their second location.

“Both of our locations are in the cluster effect where people can walk from one business to another,” says Andy. “We see it at our South Railway location, and we’ll definitely see it here with businesses being in one building.”

Grit City Distillery crafts gin, vodka, cocktails, liqueurs, among other alcoholic beverages at its South Railway location, The Tasting Room, which will be known as, The Gin District, in the coming months. The couple opened this first location in 2017. The Whiskey District will be a bar and eatery and looks to open in 2021.

The Whiskey District is located at 12 Gershaw Dr SW and The Gin District is located at 690 S Railway St SE. Grit City Distillery can be found online at www.gritcity.ca.