Distiller's Dream Business Opportunity - SOLD

JUNE 09, 2021

The owner of this award winning distillery came out of retirement to back a much younger former associate’s vision of creating a world class distillery with a gorgeous tasting room in a fully restored 100 year old 11,000 square foot, downtown facility in the best location between Grand Rapids (MI) and Detroit.

Mission accomplished.

The distillery is a drop-dead terrific property with a custom designed bar in the tasting room which overlooks the distillation operation through a full length, large glass wall. And out of the gate, the distillery earned a gold medal in the prestigious San Francisco Spirits Competition!

So what could go wrong? Family issues struck the owner’s junior partner (who also served as master distiller and general manager) requiring him to leave the business. The owner, at an advanced age, lacks the energy, knowledge and drive to either attempt managing the business himself or incurring the risk and time commitment of recruiting another master distiller.

The seller’s problem could be your opportunity.

The seller is eager to return to his former full-time retirement lifestyle and is offering a “bank free” opportunity to the likes of an enthusiastic, undercapitalized distiller or a strategic buyer interested in expanding into the mid-Michigan marketplace. For the right buyer, the seller is offering this great opportunity under very attractive pricing/terms:

• Spectacular real estate (owned by the seller) which received a third party market assessment of $700,000 earlier in 2021. And the building, between original cost and significant improvements, has all of $700,000 invested in it. The seller will give the buyer a very favorable triple net lease starting at $3,000 monthly which is based on a friendly 5.1% cap rate. • Late model, lightly used distillery equipment with an original new cost basis of $250,000. The seller is offering 100% “lease to own” financing (with a one dollar buy-out at lease end) for 84 monthly lease payments at a fixed monthly amount of $2,500. • Inventory: Includes nearly 5,000 gallons of assorted whiskey varieties either properly aging in wooden barrels or already bottled, cartoned, and ready to sell through distributors and/or sell by the pour in the tasting room. The cost basis of all inventory approximates $130,000 • The goodwill of the business including the award winning brands (complete with proprietary formulas), an active and growing tasting room, a solid base of distributors, and a small but superb office and tasting room staff. • The buyer will also inherit several wonderful collaborations with high end purveyors of spirits, beer and other beverages and will become the beneficiary of several May (2021) changes in Michigan State laws favorably impacting the profitability of small distillers.

Rent the building…lease to own the distillery equipment…purchase the inventory (at cost) and you have a great, unique business with huge barriers to entry. The above is being offered for $285,000 (all in). No bank required here. The seller will carry a $150,000 seven year, 5.0% seller note for a buyer after a $135,000 down payment. That translates to 84 monthly payments of $1,890.

So…for a down payment of $135,000 and 84 monthly payments totaling $7,390 (see below), the buyer gets an established brand in a great facility (complete with six figures of inventory) fully outfitted with a distillery, and boasts distribution both for retail sales and for spirits by the glass at the very attractive tasting bar. • $3,000 monthly in rent, • $2,500 monthly for the distillery equipment in a lease to own financing program • $1,890 monthly for the purchase of approximately $130,000 (cost basis) of excellent inventory and of course the goodwill of the business.

This is as good as it gets. For more information and/or to arrange a tour (complete with bourbon tasting) of this dazzling business opportunity, please contact Ryan Johnson (rjohnson@praxisbusinessbrokers.com or 269-338-9809).

Asking: $285,000
Reference ID RJ2060921
Location(s): Mid-Michigan
Categories: Manufacturing

Contact information

Ryan Johnson
rjohnson@praxisbusinessbrokers.com