Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha DeHart.
Natasha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My husband and I lived and worked in Germany for a number of years. It was there that we fell in love with amazing beer made with simple ingredients. It was also during this time that we became interested in the brewing, and later, distillation process. Upon returning to the US, we began homebrewing in an effort to keep our home stocked with the beers we love. We dreamed about starting our own business in the beer or spirits industry, and nearly 7 years ago, started the process of making that dream a reality.
Our first distillery was a small leased industrial space where we made liquor and mostly kept to ourselves. In 2013, the law changed, enabling us to host tours, pour samples, and on a limited basis, sell cocktails and bottles. This was a game-changer, and our little distillery was just not equipped to handle the number of guests who wanted to come in for a visit. We started searching for a larger and more permanent location, where we could both expand our production capacity and offer visitors a place to relax and enjoy the facility.
We loved the town that our distillery already called home, so staying in Old Town Lewisville, and moving less than 1 mile away just felt right. We purchased and completely renovated an abandoned Piggly Wiggly grocery store, and moved into our new place in the fall of 2015. With the additional space, we’ve been able to offer more tours, live music, large community and private events, a venue for charity fundraisers and a place for friends and families to come and enjoy an afternoon in Old Town.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In our business, it just depends on which day you ask! Honestly, though we don’t have any major complaints. There are always going to be bumps in the road, but you just have to figure out how to bounce back.
With that said, there are only a couple of “struggles” that are ongoing, but both are decent problems to have. The first is with our constant need to expand. Like most businesses, we hope to grow over time, meaning that we constantly need to upgrade equipment and increase efficiency and output. And with our product (whiskey) tied up and aging in barrels for years after distillation, funding these upgrades can be challenging as a small business.
And although most days I would call it more of a job perk than a struggle, having a spouse (Ryan) as a business partner and spending 24 hours/day together can be a challenge. I’m extremely fortunate to have married my best friend and one of the most intelligent humans I’ve ever met. We’ve had to divide and conquer, utilizing our individual strengths in different areas to make both our professional and personal lives successful. We push each other to be better and do better, and year after year it just works.
Witherspoon Distillery – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our primary focus as a business is making amazing whiskey. Everything else that we do is secondary to that. We host fun events that are centered around whiskey. We host 7 public tours each week that walk guests through the process of making whiskey. We offer fresh craft cocktails featuring our whiskey and multiple other spirits that we make in-house.
We are a venue for private events and weddings that cater to whiskey lovers. We’ve been able to offer our facility as a space for charity fundraisers, reunions, alumni and community events. And we’ve become a meeting place for members of the community and local groups. There are so many things about our business that I’m proud of.
I’m proud that we make beautiful products and have wonderful fans who enjoy them. I’m proud to be part of an amazing community and of the expansive revitalization that we see happening all around us. I’m proud of the team that we’ve built here and of each of the talented individuals that make the distillery a fun place to spend our days. I’m proud that we’ve built something from nothing, and that we continue to improve and grow.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
It’s hard to choose just one, but the day we opened our new facility was definitely a high point. The years of work, planning, blood, sweat and tears all came together that day. And every time one of our whiskeys wins a medal is a proud moment for us all.
Contact Info:
- Address: 225 S. Charles Street Lewisville, TX 75057
- Website: https://www.witherspoondistillery.com/
- Phone: 214-814-0545
- Email: info@witherspoondistillery.com
Image Credit:
Blackall Photography
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