That’s Ginius! New Rhode Island Spirits wants to be Pawtucket’s living room

Point a stick anywhere in the US and you will hit a handful of craft breweries, but the same cannot be said of the nation’s distilled spirit scene. With only three distilleries in the entire state of Rhode Island (Sons of Liberty (1425 Kingstown Rd, S Kingstown), White Dog (560 Mineral Spring Ave, Pawtucket) and Newport Craft (293 JT Connell Hwy, Newport), the industry is wide open and ready for enterprising new concepts to take root. That is why two luminaries of the non-profit and marketing world decided to switch careers and enter the exciting world of organic, gluten-free distillation. Operating under the name Rhode Island Spirits, Cathy Plourde and Kara Lawson are not only planning to distill gins and vodkas in their 3,300 sq. ft. space in Pawtucket, but also open a riverside lounge.

“We want to become Pawtucket’s living room,” explains Lawson. “And with big windows overlooking the view and seating to match, we believe we will be able to capture that welcoming feel.”

Located in a mill building off Blackstone Avenue, Rhode Island Spirits is positioned to become a big figure in the area’s overall facelift, and The City of Pawtucket worked closely with Plourde and Lawson as they brought the project to life. And what a project it is. Distilling using whole botanicals with on-site filtration, Rhode Island Spirits will produce a range of artisan products, including an assortment of flavored gins and vodkas. Add to that the bar and eventually an outdoor deck, and you begin to appreciate how large an endeavor this really is.

“The craft cocktails industry is a really exciting area to be a part of, but it can also be used as a vehicle to help support the city’s revitalization efforts,” said Plourde.

However, don’t go grabbing your gladrags just yet. Plourde and Lawson received their license on September 19, and the distillery and bar won’t be open for business until March 1. However, you read the scoop here, and we will continue to keep you up-to-speed as opening day approaches.