Red Bridge Distilling owners Dave Nikkel (left) and Richard Bugera pose for a photograph, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020.
(BRIE WELTON / iNFOnews.ca)
September 05, 2020 - 10:01 AM
Two construction workers are switching gears and opening a craft distillery in Kamloops this fall.
Red Bridge Distilling owners Dave Nikkel and Richard Bugera were planning on opening this summer, but COVID-19 threw a wrench into things.
"We are currently hoping within the next couple weeks to have everything signed off and we can start producing a product," Nikkel said. "Right now we're aiming to be open mid-October."
The distillery will have a tasting room and they'll be selling the spirits they produce.
Nikkel said they'll be starting with a dry gin and a vodka, then working towards producing some liqueurs in time for Christmas.
"Everything's going to be made on site, grain to bottle, right here," he said. "It's all B.C. products, all the grains we're using, everything's local."
The partners decided to launch their business in the Kamloops market, as there are no distilleries in town selling and making spirits in-house.
"We just figured, why go somewhere else? Kamloops could use this," Nikkel said.
It's a big change from their previous careers in the construction industry.
"It's something completely different," Nikkel said. "We're very excited about it."
Red Bridge Distilling will be located at 11-1445 McGill Rd. behind the Thompson Rivers University campus.
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