Kevin Hough escorts a small group on a tour of the production area of Liberty Pole Spirits in this file photo from July.
Jim Hough and his family did not have time to unbottle their thoughts.
“We were shocked,” he said upon realizing their craft whiskey distillery had been selected Small Business of the Year by the Western Pennsylvania District Office of the Small Business Administration.
“There are a lot of small businesses in the Western Pennsylvania territory, which goes from State College to Erie into West Virginia,” said Hough, owner of Liberty Pole Spirits with his wife, Ellen, and sons Rob and Kevin. “There are a lot of good small businesses in the region. We were blown away and honored to get this recognition.”
Angel Marschik, deputy district director, presented the award Tuesday morning at the family’s recently christened distillery campus in North Strabane Township, near Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.
Dr. Kelly Hunt, director of the Pittsburgh-based district, was unable to attend. Five days earlier, she returned to her Washington County roots to honor another small business owner operating within the 27-county district. Hunt, a Centerville Township native, handed SBA Pittsburgh’s annual veteran-owned award to Elissa Weimer of Paw & Order Dog Training in the Bulger section of Smith Township.
The presentations occurred during the 61st annual National Small Business Week.
Liberty Pole Spirits has been operating since July 2016, launching during the Whiskey Rebellion Festival that summer. Liberty Pole and Red Pump Spirits Craft Distillers opened at about the same time in downtown Washington, the city’s first distilleries since Prohibition (1920-1933).
The Houghs launched their business at 68 W. Maiden St., where they had secured a lease in 2015. They spent a year rehabilitating the structure before opening, and ran the business there for seven years.
In the interim, they purchased a two-acre lot off Racetrack Road, where they planned to construct a campus for their expanded operations. The campus includes a production facility, a barrel warehouse and an 18th-century tasting room.
Financing from Washington-based Washington Financial Corp. and an SBA 504 Loan helped the family purchase the property.
The West Maiden property is now home to another distillery. Glenn Green, of Eighty Four, founder and owner of Bones Distillery, remodeled the building and opened for business on April 26.
“I’m super excited about Bones,” Jim Hough said. “Glenn is a really nice guy, a smart guy who is doing things the right way. We’ve worked with him on equipment vendors and legal permits. It’s good for the city to have this building occupied.”
Hough decided to pursue this vocation, but at great risk, nearly a decade ago. He had a successful career in the financial industry, yet was enamored of the hobby he had pursued for a decade: making distilled whiskey at home.
He studied the industry, which was gaining popularity, and visited other distilleries. He ultimately convinced Ellen that he would retire and they would, appropriately, take a shot at a new endeavor. Copious blood, sweat and tears later, Liberty Pole Spirits stands tallest among Western Pennsylvania’s small businesses.
In a news release, Jim Hough expressed appreciation for the support that consumers provide to small businesses. Since last July, he said, “we’ve served about 23,000 people. We offer tours and an in-depth total immersion experience in making and tasting whiskey. Since our inception, we’ve always thought if we give everyone who walks in here a great experience, they’ll tell 10 people and they’ll tell 10 people and so on.”
Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, attended the ceremony Tuesday and appreciates the support Liberty Pole provides. Kotula said in a statement:
“The Hough family has managed to create more than a distillery. They have invested in Washington County’s long history of whiskey, the Whiskey Rebellion, and the spirit of independence our people hold close.
“Their ability to honor our area’s heritage, and at the same time build community support around a business, is something I have not seen in my tenure, and it is impressive. We are proud of their success and are grateful for the positive impact they have on the county.”
It was an appropriate toast for the region’s small business of the year.