Grand Rapids Distillery Breaks Ground on New Rockford Location This Week
A Grand Rapids' Distillery is relocating its main operations to Rockford - and they're breaking ground this week!
Eastern Kille Distillery Moving to Plainfield Township
Eastern Kille Distillery first opened in Grand Rapids' North Monroe neighborhood in 2015 under the name Gray Skies Distillery LLC. The business underwent a name change in 2019, following a trademark dispute with Skyy Vodka.
In summer of 2021 we told you that Eastern Kille Distillery sold their manufacturing and tasting room at 700 Ottawa Ave NW to Spectrum Health (now Corewell Health).
The health system is planning to build a new eight-story office tower in the area.
Eastern Kille announced at the time they'd be opening a new facility, including a restaurant and cocktail garden on a 16-acre site at 7755 Childsdale Ave. NE in Rockford.
Construction is set to begin this week!
Eastern Kille Breaks Ground on New Rockford Facility
Eastern Kille shared to Facebook they are holding a ground breaking ceremony at the city of their new headquarters in Rockford on January 4, 2023.
They shared renderings of their future facility, saying,
We are excited to (finally) announce our Ground Breaking ceremony on 1/4/23 at the site of what will be our new distillery, restaurant and cocktail garden coming to Rockford next Fall!
Thanks to the greatest patrons and crew in the world for making this possible. We can’t wait to serve you all in our new digs.
According to Grand Rapids Business Journal the new facility in Rockford is expected to open in September 2023. Until then, Eastern Kille is leasing the building in the Grand Rapids' North Monroe neighborhood that is now owned by Corewell Health.
Eastern Kille owners say they eventually hope to open another tasting room near 700 Ottawa NW once they make the move to Rockford.
The distillery will also continue to operate their tasting room on Wealthy Street, EK Wealthy, which opened this past September.