Dog-friendly distillery located in historic schoolhouse to open soon

LEWIS CENTER, Ohio (WCMH) – A distillery pub that resides inside a historic schoolhouse and features a dog-friendly patio will soon begin welcoming customers.

DoG Distilling Company, located at 3773 East Powell Road, will open to the public on June 19. Customers can also attend the business' exclusive grand opening, taking place on June 13-15, by buying tickets on its website. 

The distillery is owned by married couples Wes and Kelly Stark, and Kevin and Lauri Webb. The concept started with the Webbs, when they began brewing their own spirits at home and created a small business, dubbed Distillers of Galena LLC (DoG). The couples, who both own dogs, then came together to create DoG Distilling Company. 

The business includes a bar, warming kitchen, outdoor firepit and dog-friendly, covered patio that will be open throughout the year. Along with spirits, the company will serve snack foods such as soft pretzels and charcuterie. 

“We’ll offer beer, wine, scotch, rum, we’ll have tequila,” Wes previously told NBC4. “We’ll have all of those, but DoG Distilling will be producing and mainly featuring our vodka, gin and whiskey. But we will have something for everybody, including zero-proof drinks, or non-alcoholic.”

To create the distillery, the business owners renovated a schoolhouse that has stood in Lewis Center since 1868. The revamped historic building boasts a 1920s theme, featuring velvet and leather accents, alongside antique light fixtures. The property also features a 128-foot by 36-foot production facility behind the schoolhouse.

After the distillery opens to the public, it will be open on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.